


Culture Shock

by SalamanderGoo



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Game Grumps Big Bang 2017, Happy Ending, M/M, Mentions of drugs, Multi, Mythical Creature AU, Romance, Talk of sex, talk of death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 22:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11724354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalamanderGoo/pseuds/SalamanderGoo
Summary: Dan is just your average human trying to make his way through school.  Frustrated with the way things have been going for him, he wants to change his last year before graduation, so he decides to take part in a student exchange program.  He finds himself in a boarding school for mythics, non-humans who walk among the population.  It's new, but Dan ends up finding better friends than he ever had in his whole life.  And maybe, just maybe, he finds someone who isn't just interested in friendship.





	1. Chapter 1

Crowds and screaming and far too many people. Same shit every day, same people, same classes. It was September, and Dan was already sick of everything. He kept his head down and his bag close, glancing at his phone every few seconds to try and ignore the headache he was getting as he tried to get to the exit, knowing Avi was waiting. 

Dan found himself trapped against a wall, literally. He was standing against the wall, the crowds rushing past him as a large announcement board dug into his back. He was going to be here awhile. 

He took the closest paper off the board, starting to read it. 'Interested in meeting new people? Want to have new experiences and expand your horizons? This is your opportunity. Sign up to go to another school this year! Program extends from September 30 to June 14 this school year. See the front office for more information. Information sheets due no later than September 15.'

Dan glanced at his phone. It was the tenth. This could be interesting, and that’s exactly what he'd been looking for. He turned on his heel, slipping through the crowd towards the office, looking at the papers that were on the front desk. When he found the permission slips and information packets, he grabbed one of each and began to make his way back down the hall. 

He had a short conversation with Avi in the car before they fell into their usual comfortable silence. He read through the information silently during the short drive home, considering the options that he had. 

Once they were home, he quickly made his way to his room, dodging questions from Debby and nearly tripping over Princess Tinkles, who followed him with a tiny bark. Dan couldn't help but to grin, closing the door as soon as he was sure the tiny pup was in his room. She barked at him, an almost squeaky little yap as she sniffed at his shoes and legs. He smiled, bending down to scoop her up. “Hey there baby.” He laid on his bed, setting the fluffy pup on top of the blankets. Her tail was wagging as she licked at his face, making him giggle.

“Yeah, hi to you too.” She sat next to him. Still sniffing. “So I’ve been thinking about things lately. I might leave for awhile. I’d leave you with Dana.” Princess didn’t say anything. Because she’s a dog. But with how much Dan talked to her, sometimes he expected her to. She just barked and climbed onto his stomach, curling up in a ball. 

The door opened and Dan let out a small sigh. “Speak of the devil.”

Dana rolled her eyes and sat on Dan’s bed. “Are you talking to the dog again? You really need to get some friends.”

“Some of us don’t exactly fit the most popular freshman role, you know. Besides, Princess here is a fantastic conversationalist. You could take some tips from her.”

“What tips would those be?” Dana raised an eyebrow at Dan.

“Well, she’s not constantly running her mouth. And she’s less violent.” Dan pet Princess gently, smirking at Dana.

“Wow, rude.” Dana stretched out a hand to Princess, smiling when she licked her hand. “Though I guess she’s a good girl.”

“Of course.” Dan sat up, cradling the pup in his arms. “I may have a favor to ask you.”

“What kind of favor? I’m not hiding things from mom and dad anymore if that’s what you’re going to ask.”

“No. I promise that’s not it. I’m clean, I’m not doing any of the shit I did last year.” He reached for the papers he’d grabbed. “I want to be a part of this student exchange program. I only have one year left of school, and it might be nice to do something different before I graduate. And… if I do, I need you to watch Princess and take care of her for me.”

Dana read through the papers, raising an eyebrow. “Really? You want to do this?”

“Well, yeah. I really want to get myself out there. Since last year was all making everything up…” He sighed. “I want to prove myself. Show Debbie and Avi and mom that I can do things on my own and I really am sober.”

Dana sighed. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice. You deserve this second chance.”

He wrapped Dana in a tight hug. “I owe you so much, Dana. For- for this and for everything else. You’re my favorite sister.”

Dana laughed, pushing him. “Yeah, yeah, don’t get all sappy on me.”

“Hey, I’m a very sappy person, so I can’t not be,” he defended, trying not to grin.

“Whatever, bro.” Dana grinned as she picked up Princess Tinkles. “So I’ll have to take care of this little dork, hm?”

“How dare you call her that! She’s totally not a dork.”

“Uh, she’s your dog, obviously that makes her a dork.” Dana scratched Princess’s head, making her wiggle and bark.

“Don’t call my daughter a dork! She’s a tiny, intelligent, baby girl.”

“She spends half the day sniffing her own butt.”

“Hush.” Dan took Princess out of Dana’s arms, snuggling the pup close. “She’s precious.”

The two bickered for a while until Dan kicked Dana out to work on his homework. Princess kept distracting him, bringing him a rope toy from her bed in the corner. Eventually he gave up on homework, not having much anyway. He’d finish it during study hall tomorrow.

He got up once Debbie called him down for dinner, Princess still at his heels as he let her into the backyard, filling her food and water bowls before going to sit at the table. Avi said the prayer in Hebrew as everyone bowed their heads. At the end of the prayer, once they all had food, Debbie looked over to Dan. “So Dan, how was school?”

Dan shrugged, taking a sip of his water. “It was… a day. But, uh, I did find something interesting.” He set the papers on the table so Avi and Debbie could see them. “There’s a student exchange program, and it could be a great opportunity for me to expand my horizons before graduation. After… last year, it’d be nice to prove that I can be responsibly independent.” He picked at his food as Avi and Debbie had a silent conversation while looking at the papers.

“Dan, is this something you really want to do?” Debbie looked up at him. “It’s a long time to be away from home.”

“It is, yeah, but we are in the age of technology. I’d be able to stay in contact at all times, and I already got Dana to agree to take care of Princess since I know she’s my responsibility.”

Avi raised an eyebrow. “You seem to have thought, ehhh, all of this out.”

“As much as I could, yeah.” Dan took a deep breath. “I want to prove to you that I’m responsible because I know a lost a lot of trust.”

“Dan.” Debbie's voice was soft and careful. “We know you've changed, and you've been working to better yourself. If you want to do this, it shouldn't be to prove anything. It should be because you want to. This is a pretty big thing.”

“I really do. I’m close to graduation, and this would be a nice way to end things before I need to get out there. If it’s okay with you and Avi, of course.”

“Well,” Avi began. “If this is something you truly do, ehh, want to do, then I believe your mother and I can, ehh, split the cost with you.”

“Really?” Dan grinned. “Thank you!” With that, Dan’s whole outlook on his year changed.


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks later, Dan was looking through his closet, trying to find one specific shirt. He left tomorrow and needed to finish packing before he went to bed. “Dan?”

Dan let out a startled yelp, jolting and hitting his head on the closet bar. “Dana, you fuckin… you scared me.”

“Sorry.” She didn’t sound sorry at all. “Brought you something.”

Dan grabbed the shirt he’d been looking for, rubbing his head as he stepped out of the closet. “What do you want?”

“You’re about to be gone for like, 9 months. Would it kill you to be nice to me?”

“Sorry.” Dan sighed. “I’m just kinda anxious.”

“Yeah. That’s why I brought you this.” Dana held up a fuzzy white blanket. The one that always sat on the couch in the living room. “I figured if you’re ever feeling homesick…” She shrugged, handing it to him.

“Oh. Thank you.” He smiled at her as he took it, carefully setting it in his bag. “You know, I’m gonna miss you. A little bit.”

“I might miss you a little bit too.” He pulled her into a close hug.

Dana sighed as she hugged him for a long moment. “No matter how much shit we give each other, you’re still my brother.”

“Right back atcha. Well, sister.” He gave her a friendly kiss on the forehead. “Are you coming to the airport in the morning?”

“Yeah. It’s an excuse to get to school late.” She giggled.

“Of course, not because you’ll be able to say good riddance to your obnoxious big bro?”

“I’m not that mean.” She playfully shoved him. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night Dana. I love youuuuuuuuu.”

“Oh my god. I love you too, but please stop.”

Dan giggled as he closed his suitcase, sticking his tongue out at her as she left the room. He sighed as he got in bed, patting the blankets next to him. “Princess, come here.”

The pup bounded over and jumped up on the bed as Dan turned off the lights and laid down, letting her snuggle up to him. “I’m gonna miss you, girlie. You’re my favorite dog, you know that?”

She didn’t respond, only licking his face. Dan giggled softly, curling up and letting sleep take his mind for the night.

His alarm blared at 5:30 in the morning, making him groan, his joints popping as he stretched. Dan stumbled through his morning routine of showering, getting dressed, and attempting to run a brush through his messy mop of hair. He yawned as he grabbed his bag, kissing Princess Tinkles’s head on his way out of the room. “I love you Princess. Be a good girl while I’m gone.” She didn’t move from her spot on Dan’s pillow, just wagging her tail a little. He smiled, dragging his bag behind him and heading downstairs. His flight wasn’t until 8:30, but Avi insisted on getting him there early.

He checked his carry on in the car, making sure he had his phone charger, passport, and the books he’d grabbed last night. He let out a sigh, watching out the window as Avi and Debbie talked in the front seat, Dana asleep in the other seat in the back. Dan knew his leg was bouncing with his suppressed anxiety, but he couldn’t exactly make it stop. As they got to the airport, he held his breath a moment. It was 7:04, so he had exactly 86 minutes to get through security. 

He was wrapped in a tight hug from Debbie, who was a little bit emotional. “I promise to call at least once a week,” Dan murmured, hugging back just as tight.

“You’re sure you’ve got everything you need?”

“I checked three times last night, and once this morning.”

“Stay safe. I love you, Dan.”

Dan smiled, kissing her cheek. “I love you too. I’ll call you when the plane lands. Promise.”

He was wrapped in another hug by Avi. “Behave,” was all he said, but Dan knew there was a lot more in the word than a simple command.

“I will. I love you, Avi.”

“I love you too, ehh, son.”

Dan grinned at him, looking over at Dana. “You’re gonna miss me.”

“I totally won’t.” She crossed her arms, looking back at him before hugging him tightly. “You better come back in one piece.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He giggled as she hugged him. “I promise I’ll text you. Alright?”

“Okay.” She held onto him for a minute longer before letting him go. “Make some friends for once in your life.”

“I’m hurt.” He smiled as he got his bag out of the car with a little giggle. “I’ll try, though. For you.”

“Do it for yourself, you nerd.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He took a deep breath, the chilly morning air blowing his hair in his face as he looked at the airport. “I should get going, then. I’ll see you all in June. Love you!”

With that he headed into the airport, heading through security. Since it was early on a Thursday, it wasn’t too crowded, and he managed to get through everything with 45 minutes to spare. He bought a snack from one of the stands in the terminal, curling up in an uncomfortable chair to wait for his flight.

While he waited, Dan looked around, watching people walk through the airport. His area was mostly humans, but there were a few mythic families around. From what he’d read, the school he’d be going to was a boarding school that hosted almost exclusively mythic students. It would definitely be a full change in scenery.

He let out a relieved sigh when his plane was called to board. He stared out the window through most of the flight, just watching the world go by. He let out a soft sigh when he heard announcement went through the intercom that the plane would be landing soon. He smiled a little, slumping down in his seat as the plane went down, jolting when it hit the runway and taxied to a stop. 

He stretched once he was off the plane, groaning when he could already feel how much warmer it was. He looked around, the airport full and practically buzzing with humans and mythics running between terminals. Dan’s eyes were drawn to one girl in particular, where she was holding a sign with his name on it. Ugh, his first name. Her hair was pastel pink with little curly horns poking through her bright hair. She was wearing a tee that was just a little too big and a purple skirt. When he got closer, he could see that her legs were covered in what looked like wool, and she didn’t have feet, instead little hooves. 

“Oh! Are you Leigh Avidan?” Her voice was high and gentle.

Dan made a face. “Well, yeah, but I go by Dan.”

“Alright! I’m Holly, and I’m the one in charge of getting you to the school. Do you have a suitcase you need to pick up first?”

Dan nodded. “Yeah. That’s okay, right?”

“Of course!” Holly laughed a little, walking the few feet over to the baggage claim with him. “It’s nice to meet you. A lot of other students have been excited to have someone new at school.” She smiled sweetly.

Dan smiled, waiting for his bag. “I'm just excited to have a change of pace.” He picked up his suitcase when it came around. “Alright, this is all I've got.”

Holly nodded, smiling. “Alright. I'll take you to the school and we can get you situated.” She led him out of the airport, her hooves clicking softly on the floor. When they were outside, Dan found himself taking off his jacket, the air much warmer than the temperature that morning in Jersey. 

Holly led him to a car, unlocking it. “The school isn't too far, so it won't be a long drive.”

Dan nodded as he put his bags in the back, getting in the passenger seat and buckling the seat belt. “Alright!” The car’s ceiling was a little short, and he had to slouch down a little to avoid hitting his head. 

Holly told him about the school while she drove, and Dan could feel himself becoming affectionate. She was so genuinely sweet and it just made him smile. 

“My friend Brian was technically supposed to pick you up, but he doesn't like driving.”

“Why not?” Dan looked at his phone, texting Debbie that he'd landed okay and was picked up. 

“He doesn't exactly fit into cars all that well. He's really not all that tall, but he's got pretty big wings that tend to get in the way.”

“Wings?”

“Yeah. He's a gryphon. Part lion hybrid, part eagle hybrid.”

“Oh, cool.” Dan nodded, smiling a little. “How'd you get roped into picking me up?”

“I'm one of his few friends. He's really only got me, my boyfriend, his roommate, and his roommate’s boyfriend.”

“I can relate to that. I've only got my sister. And my dog, but I doubt she counts.”

Holly hummed. “Oh, you have a dog?”

“Yeah. She's a tiny pomeranian. I named her Princess Tinkles and I love her so much. But my sister’s taking care of her for me until I get home.”

“Cute.” Holly giggled softly as she turned down a dirt road. 

“Woah.” Dan's eyes widened as the school came into view. It was huge and almost looked like a castle. 

Holly giggled as she parked the car in a tiny, hidden parking lot. “Come on. I'll take you inside.” Dan got out, quickly getting his bags out and hurrying after Holly. 

She led him down the path and up a set of stairs, pushing open the front doors. Dan jumped, startled when Holly was tackled in a whirl of blue and glitter. “You're back!”

Holly laughed, shaking her head. “I was gone for an hour!”

“Still.” The person who'd tackled Holly crossed their arms, and Dan could see that they had translucent blue wings, a pouty expression, and little freckles that seemed to be blue as well. They had on a sleeveless crop top looking shirt and jeans, glitter fluttering off their wings. 

Holly stuck her tongue out. “Dan, this is Ross, my obnoxious boyfriend.”

“You love me.” Ross slung an arm around Holly, grinning before turning to Dan. “So you're the human, hm? Nice to meet you!” He extended a hand, grinning. 

Dan shook his hand. “It's nice to meet you too.” He smiled lightly. 

Holly sighed softly, kissing Ross's cheek. “Where's Brian?”

“The office. Unless he panicked and is hiding in the library.”

“We'll check the office first.” Holly smiled. “Come on Dan.” 

Dan started to follow Holly, Ross hovering next to them. Literally. The school was huge, halls going in every direction. They passed classrooms with class going on, and Dan found himself glancing in as he passed. 

Holly led him to what had to be the office, looking around and smiling when she saw a man with wings that nearly brushed the ground and what looked like lion feet. When he pulled his hands out of his pockets, Dan saw that they looked a little like bird talons, yellow-y scales stretching up his wrist and his nails looking almost deadly sharp. “Hey Brian! This is Dan.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “The paperwork said the exchange student’s name is Leigh.”

Dan stepped forward. “That's my first name. Um, Dan is my middle name, but I like it better.”

“Right.” Brian nodded, making a note on one of the papers he carried. “I suppose the first thing is to show you to your dorm and get you your schedule.” Brian lightly cleared his throat. “You'll be rooming with Barry Kramer for now, and that can be subject to change if either of you find it necessary.”

“Why would it be-”

Brian cut him off. “Let’s just say there have been incidents with past exchange students.”

“Oh.” Dan glanced at Holly, who rolled her eyes. 

“Don't scare him, Brian.”

“I'm not-” Brian let out a huff of air, shaking his head as he ruffled his wings. “Whatever.” He started to walk off, gesturing for Dan to follow. 

As Dan followed Brian through hallways, he noticed that the back of Brian's shirt had a zipper on it. He hadn't thought about how wings would make shirts difficult. He tried to pay attention to the halls they were going down, but it was hard to remember each turn they made. Hopefully someone would help him navigate.

The layout changed as they went up a flight of stairs to what had to be the dorm area. Brian unlocked a door, letting Dan in. Dan shivered at the chill in the room, looking around. It was nice, two beds and dressers, and a window that looked out the front of the school. One of the beds was already being used, the other just had sheets and blankets on it. “Barry is in classes right now, but I suppose you'll meet him later.”

Dan nodded, setting his bags down next to the bed as Brian shuffled through papers. “This is a map of the school for you, though Ross, Holly, and myself will help you out when you need us to. And this is your schedule. Uh, it looks like you have most of your classes with Ross, so he’ll be the one helping you out most.”

“Alright. Ross seems nice.”

Brian laughed, and for the first time since Dan had met him (maybe it had only been 10 minutes, but still!), he smiled. “Wait until you get to know him, then get back to me on that. Lunch is in an hour, so I guess I can show you around the grounds?”

“Yeah, sure!” Dan grinned, standing up. The room was really cold, so he’d have to remember to talk to whoever this Barry was. He’d freeze to death.

Brian led Dan out of the room, glancing over at him with a small smile. “So you’re from Jersey, right? That’s where I was born.”

“Yup!” Dan grinned, nodding. “Born and raised there.” After a beat, he asked a question. “I don’t know if this is like, an offensive or ignorant question, so I’m really sorry if it is, but can you fly? Because you have wings.”

Brian hummed. “I can. But it’s difficult. Even though my wings are so big, my body is built with bones pretty similar to yours. If you look at birds or even bird hybrids, their bones are much lighter and usually hollow. But since I’m part lion hybrid, my bones are solid in every part of my body except for my wings.” He stretched out one of his wings, showing Dan how massive they were compared to his relatively short height. 

“Wow.” Dan couldn’t help his stare, which made Brian laugh softly. “What about Ross? Does he have hollow bones?”

“Not quite. Ross is a fae, so his ability to fly lies in his magic. The fact that he’s pretty thin probably plays a factor in that too.”

“He has magic?” Dan raised an eyebrow.

“All fae do. Ross is a forest fae, so most of his magic lies in nature.” Brian led Dan down some stairs.

“Cool.” Dan nodded, smiling.

Brian spent the rest of the day showing Dan around, ending in the library a few hours after lunch. “This is the library, and it’s probably my favorite room in the whole school.” He grinned, leading Dan to the back corner. “I want to show you something.” Dan watched as Brian pulled a short ladder over and set it in front of a shelf.

“What are you doing?”

“Just follow me.” Brian climbed up the ladder, hoisting himself up on top of the bookshelf. Dan bit his lip, but went with it, following him. Dan was surprised to see that the shelf led to a decent sized ledge with a large window that filled the small nook with late afternoon light.

“Woah.” Dan looked around as he sat on top of the shelf, looking around the library. “This is… wow.”

Brian nodded. “I found this nook in my first year here, and it’s been my go to spot ever since.” He leaned against the wall, and Dan’s breath caught in his throat. Brian looked absolutely fantastic in this lighting. He couldn’t bring himself to look away. Until Brian started to look over. 

Dan grabbed a book, pretending to read the back cover. “It’s nice up here.”

“Yeah.” Brian nodded, letting out a relaxed sigh as he looked out over the library. “Being up here is relaxing. It makes me feel like I’m above my usual stress.”

“Huh.” Dan dangled his legs over the edge of the bookshelf. “I can definitely see what you mean.”


	3. Chapter 3

Dan was lost. It was his first day of classes and he couldn’t find his history class. He’d met his roommate last night, and Barry was an absolute sweetheart. As it turned out, he needed to keep the room colder since he was a yeti, but he’d been nice enough to give Dan his extra blankets so he wouldn’t freeze during the night. Fast forward to now, and Dan had been separated from Ross.

He sighed as he looked at the map in his hands, looking for the right room. He nearly shrieked when someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Oh I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you.” A girl who was at least a good couple inches shorter than him with jet black hair and black fox ears tipped with purple stood in front of him. It took him a second, but he realized the girl had four tails with the same color scheme. “Are you lost?”

“Um, yeah, I am. I’m looking for room 207? For history with-”

“Mr. Nestor, yeah! I’m actually headed there now.” She smiled. “I’m Suzy by the way!”

“Oh! I’m Dan.” He shifted his books to one arm, reaching out to shake her hand. Suzy smiled as they shook hands before heading down the hall with her.

“You’re the exchange student, hm?”

“Is it that obvious?”

Suzy laughed softly. “A little bit. You looked so lost.” 

“I’d assume it’s because I was lost.” 

“Fair point, fair point.” Suzy grinned as she led him to a classroom that he’d walked past at least three times, pushing open the door. “Come on, there’s an empty desk next to mine.” She patted an empty desk in the middle of the room, sitting down in one next to it. Dan sat down, looking around the room as he dug a pencil out of his bag.

Another student ducked into the classroom seconds before the bell. He was tall, probably taller than Dan, and had gray and white cat ears and a long, fluffy tail. He kissed the top of Suzy’s head before sliding into his seat. “You were almost late,” Suzy whispered.

“Yeah, but I wasn’t. Besides Mr. Nestor isn’t even here yet.”

Just a second after he’d said that, a young looking man with bright blue hair, white wings, and a faint halo hovering over his head burst into the room. “Good morning everyone! I understand that our exchange student is joining us for the first time today.” He smiled over at Dan. “Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?”

“Um, okay, yeah… Sure.” Dan stood up nervously. “I’m Dan… Uh, I’m from New Jersey and am going to be here until the end of the year.” He smiled a little, sinking back into his chair.

“Welcome to Medusa Academy, Dan.” Mr. Nestor smiled, moving to the front of the room. “I'm sure one of the other students can help you catch up if you find you didn't learn something from the first month.” He turned to face the class, starting the lesson. “This next unit is on the Mythic Riots of the 30s. What does everyone know about the riots? Arin?”

Dan looked over at the cat boy who’d slipped in before the bell, who was lowering his hand. “They started as protests by mythics and close human supporters, but turned violent in, um, 1930...5, I think, when a human attacked a protester.”

Mr. Nestor nodded. “That’s right. The first officially organized protest happened in 1931. A siren named Scarlet Cage and her husband, a jaguar hybrid named Xavier Cage organized a peaceful protest in front of a local restaurant with several of their friends.” He hooked up a laptop to the projector as he kept talking. “For the first year from that first protest until July in 1932, Scarlet and Xavier headed things.” The projector showed a photo of a protest. “In 1932, they brought on another member to their team. This time it was a human. His name was William Forrest. It’s reported that Scarlet hoped William would draw in more human supporters, and there were many rumors that Scarlet, Xavier, and William were in a ‘scandalous’ relationship.” He made air quotes, pointing to a student in the back of the room. “Yes Matt?”

The boy was tall and slender with little light brown deer ears and white freckles dotting his face. “Did William bring in more supporters?”

“Not as many as they’d hoped, but there were definitely human supporters. For the first couple years, protests stayed peaceful. If things started to get out of hand, Xavier usually cut things off before things went further than a verbal spat. But in 1935, things changed.” He pulled up another slide, this time showing a brawl between a faerie and a human. “A fae known as Rune Underwood was attacked. His wing was torn, and he ended up hospitalized for weeks after. That was only the beginning of violence. Starting from ‘35 and going all the way until 42’, nearly every protest ended in a riot. Most started out verbally and developed into the anger fueled violence these riots are remembered for. In 1941, laws were passed to try to end the protests, but it didn’t help anything. It wasn’t until the next year, in 1942 that Scarlet Cage was killed during a protest that things finally ended. Xavier and William shut down all organized protests and dismantled the organization they’d built. Protesting didn’t end, but things settled down and went back to the way things were originally. Ryan?” Mr. Nestor called on another student in the back of the room.

“If the protests were intended to be peaceful, why didn’t they try and stop the riots when they started?” Ryan tilted his head a little in curiosity, his floppy ears shifting with his head.

“They thought they were making process. For awhile, it seemed like the riots gave the Mythic Rights Activists an edge. But once the death count started to increase and took one of the leaders, it stopped.”

Suzy raised her hand. “But aren’t there still protests?”

Mr. Nestor nodded. “Yes. There’s still some discrimination towards mythics, mostly by humans, and that leads to deaths, unjustified arrests, and a cycle of hatred. I think it was 10 or 11 years ago that a large scale protest turned to a full blown riot took place. A lot of humans and mythics died. Most of you probably remember. It was on the news for weeks.”

Dan remembered. He’d been young and didn’t understand, but he remembered getting upset because he didn’t understand why there was so much hatred in the world. He still didn’t.

The rest of the class was answering questions from the book and talking to other students. Dan talked to Suzy, mostly because she was the only one in the class he actually knew. He found out that she and Arin were dating and that Suzy was an actual sweetheart. She helped him with some of his work, smiling when the bell went off, signalling the end of class. “Hey Suzy? Where’s room 307? I have an art class next.”

“Arin can take you! That’s where he’s going next.” She smiled as she picked up her books, her tails swishing a little. “I’ll see you around.” She gave Arin a quick kiss before heading out of the room.

Arin smiled. “You’re an artist?”

Dan shrugged, making sure he had all his stuff. “Kinda. I’m more of a singer, but I do like drawing!”

“Yeah? That’s cool.” Arin grinned as they walked out together. “The teacher for this art class, Ms. Nelson, is super cool. She’s a graphic design artist but teaches as a side job.”

“Huh. You usually hear about that being the other way around.”

“Yeah.” Arin laughed, turning down a hallway that Dan almost missed. It was darker, but windows on the ceiling let light in, just enough to see. They went into a similarly dark classroom, the classroom already buzzing with student chatter. Arin pulled Dan over to a table, patting an empty seat next to him. Ross was at the table, sketching in a notebook.

“Oh! Hi Ross!” Dan grinned brightly.

“Hi Dan.” Ross smiled back. “Sorry about getting separated from you this morning. It was…”

“Chaotic,” Dan supplied.

“Yeah, that works.”

The bell rang and the teacher came in. She was pale, tall, and blonde, sipping something red from a travel cup. “Good morning!” She perched herself on the edge of the desk in front of the room, smiling. “You have an assignment for the next two days in class. You’re going to start out by drawing a self portrait, how you see yourself. Don’t just go based on what you see in the mirror, get creative. Then you’re going to draw someone else at your table. Again, get creative with that. This is an assignment that should give you an opportunity to be introspective. Get to work!”

Dan looked at the other two, who already had out paper. Dan got out a sheet for himself, thinking as he started to do a basic outline, trying to think about how he saw himself.

He hardly even realized it when class was over, having been fully invested in his drawing. He smiled a little, carefully slipping the drawing in a folder before looking at his schedule. He had lunch next, and surprisingly, Arin and Suzy actually had the same lunch period as him. Arin grinned, stretching as he stood. “Hey Dan, wanna sit with me and Suzy at lunch? Ross, you and Holly are definitely invited.”

Ross smiled. “Yeah, cool. I’ll see you there.” He lightly fluttered his wings, glittery dust falling off them.

Dan smiled a little as he followed them out of the room, Ross turning away from them. “I have to run to the dorm quick, but I’ll see you two at lunch!”

Arin chuckled, watching as Ross rushed off, leading Dan down the crowded hall. His tail hit Dan’s face, making them both jump. “Oh! I’m sorry! I swear it has a mind of its own sometimes.” He laughed a little.

“It’s okay.” Dan giggled. “It’s really soft.”

“Why thank you!” Arin grinned, playfully hitting Dan in the face again, making him swat it away. Arin laughed, sticking his tongue as they got to the dining hall. “Go grab your food and meet me at the table in the back corner.” He grinned and walked off, leaving Dan to get his lunch.

Dan ducked through the crowds to get to the food line. He got a bowl of soup and orange juice, nearly running into Brian. “Oh hey!” He grinned brightly.

Brian smiled a little. “Hey Dan. How are classes going?”

“Great! I made friends!”

“Good for you.” Brian nodded.

“You can sit with us! We’re in the back corner.” He headed off before Brian could refuse.

Suzy and Arin were at the table, hands loosely linked as they shared a plate of spaghetti. Suzy smiled at Dan as he sat down. “Hey Dan.”

“Hi!” He grinned, looking up as Holly walked over, sitting down next to him.

They sat and ate quietly for a few minutes before Arin looked up and froze. “Oh. Hi.”

Dan turned to where Arin was looking, seeing Brian standing there, his expression one of mild shock and confusion. “Arin, hey… I didn’t realize Dan was talking about you.”

“Is it a problem?” Arin’s voice was careful, as if he was trying not to say the wrong thing.

“Not a problem, no, definitely not.” Brian’s wings twitched, and he kept making darting glances as if looking for an escape.

“Brian, you don’t have to… things don’t need to be…” Suzy bit her lip, trying and failing to complete a thought.

“But they are.” Brian took a step back, running into Ross and almost dropping his tray.

“It… looks like I came at a bad time.” Ross frowned, the tension palpable.

Dan leaned over to Holly. “What’s going on?” He asked under his breath.

“Brian dated both of them. And the relationships didn’t exactly end on the best terms. Brian was extremely distant and went to a kind of depressive state after both breakups. He… isn’t the best with relationships, but he really does try.”

Brian looked ready to run or throw up, but Arin managed to convince him to sit down. Brian sat on the edge of his seat his legs in a position that would make it easy to run. “Things don’t need to be awkward.” Suzy bit her lip.

“Yeah. But here we are.” Brian laughed weakly, picking at his food. “I don’t… I didn’t… I’m sorry.”

“Brian, come on man. So things didn’t work out. Why does that mean things have to be impossibly weird now?” Arin frowned.

“Because I was a fucking terrible boyfriend. Because I told you both things that I don’t tell other people. Because it hurts every time I see one of you because I know that I wasn’t good enough. And you know what? The list keeps going.” Brian was visibly upset, his talons digging into the table where he was gripping it.

The table was silent at Brian’s outburst, watching as he stared down at the table, shaking ever so slightly. “Brian…” Arin’s voice was soft. “I had no idea… I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know.” Brian slowly unclenched his hands, small dents in the table from his talons.

“Well, now that all this is out on the table.” Suzy sighed. “You weren’t a great boyfriend, yeah. But we were friends for years before we dated. And you were a fantastic friend. I miss you. I miss having you in my life.”

Arin nodded, his hand resting on Suzy’s back. “She’s right. You’re a great guy, Brian. Maybe you’re not the best at navigating relationships, but that’s fine.”

Brian was quiet, staring down at the table. “Oh.” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I guess communication was never my strong suit, huh?” He laughed weakly, but looked a little more relaxed as he picked at his sandwich.

“I guess not.” Suzy laughed softly. “Does that mean you’re willing to give friendship another shot?”

“Yeah. I think… I think I can try.” Brian nodded, finally looking up to smile a little.


	4. Chapter 4

Dan was following Brian as they made their way through the quiet halls. It was 6, so classes and dinner were over, giving students free time to do whatever, and Dan was getting in the swing of things, having been there for a few weeks now. Brian and Dan were meeting up with everyone in the common area between all their dorms to watch a movie and eat whatever junk food they’d scrounged up. Brian reached into his pocket when they got up to the dorms, and his face fell. “I… didn’t grab my key this morning. Shit.”

Dan frowned. “Are you locked out?”

“Technically speaking, yeah, I am. I need to find Jack, and hopefully he’ll let me borrow his key.”

“Where would he be?”

“Probably out in the courtyard with Vernon, his boyfriend.” Brian sighed. “Come on.”

They headed out to the courtyard, somewhere Dan had only been once with Ross. It was nice, the trees pleasant shades of oranges and reds. There was a chill in the air, enough to make Dan pull his sweatshirt tighter around himself as Brian headed over to someone sitting by the lake. “Hey, Jack.”

The person looked up, and Dan was able to get a good look at his face. His eyes were golden, and he had dog ears and a tail, which Dan thought looked something like a lab’s. “Hey Brian!” He had a thick Irish accent that wasn’t too harsh and almost pleasant.

“I left my key in our dorm, and I need to get in. Would you be willing to let me borrow yours?”

Jack nodded, reaching into the pocket of his sweatshirt and handing his key to Brian. “Course, man. Will you be near the dorms?”

“I’ll be in the common area. You’re welcome to join us, and I’m sure we can make accommodations for Vernon,” he offered.

“Ah, no thanks. But it’s kind of you to offer!”

A head popped out of the water, startling Dan. “Oh, Brian, hey!”

“Hello Vernon.” Brian smiled lightly, watching as Vernon moved closer to shore, his torso and part of his scaled tail visible. A cat… mermaid… thing swam over to Vernon and meowed.

“I don’t think you met Michael! She’s my cat! My catfish.” He grinned at his pun.

Dan laughed a little. “She’s pretty adorable.”

“Thank you! Mike’s my good girl.” Vernon pet her, and Jack smiled affectionately as he watched. Michael purred, her fur wet from the water, but it dried quickly as she rubbed against Vernon’s hand.

Brian smiled. “Alright, come on, Dan. The others are probably wondering if we’re dead by now.”

 

Dan laughed, saying bye to Jack and Vernon before following Brian back inside. “I have a bunch of skittles in my bag. Should I bring them?”

“You definitely should.” He grinned.

Dan giggled softly, going up the stairs with Brian, and waving to Ryan and Matt from his history class as they passed him on their way down the stairs. Brian unlocked his dorm, walking over to his bed and reaching under it. Dan followed him in, picking up a feather off the bed. “Do you shed these?”

“Hm? Oh, uh, kinda. I shed some naturally, but others I need to pull out because they get messed up. If I don’t, it’s unhealthy and hurts. I think there’s a term. But it just happens when I kind of groom my wings.” He dug a bag of gummy worms from a box that he’d pulled out from under his bed.

“Where’d you get those?”

“My little sister.” Brian smiled as he stood up. “She likes to send me stuff. It’s sweet.”

Dan smiled, slipping out of the dorm when Brian started to head out. “I’ll grab my skittles and be ready.” Brian nodded, and Dan went into his dorm, grabbing a bag of skittles, and as a second thought, changing into a pair of fuzzy pajama pants and wrapping the blanket his sister had given him around his shoulders. Brian raised an eyebrow when Dan came out of the room. “What?”

“Nothing.” Brian shook his head, smiling as they headed into the common room. Suzy and Arin were snuggled up on an armchair, Holly leaning against Barry and holding Ross’s hand while they leaned against the couch, sitting on the floor.

“About time you two showed up.” Arin grinned. “We were gonna start the movie without you.”

“We brought candy, so shush,” Brian sassed, moving to sit on the couch, Dan sitting on the other side, wrapped up in his blanket as Arin started the movie. 

“Oh no,” Dan mumbled, seeing that it was a horror movie. He settled in, curled up as he started to eat his candy, sharing it with Holly and Barry.

15 minutes in, Dan shrieked at a jumpscare, hiding his face in his blanket. “No…”

Barry patted his leg. “It’s okay, man. You’re good.” Dan just whined, hiding his face another moment before he pulled his face away from the blanket to keep watching. Brian reached over, giving Dan’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze, making him smile faintly. 

Dan screamed at just about every jumpscare in the movie, and was shaking and mildly paranoid by the end, half cuddling Brian, half holding him in a vice-like grip. Arin chuckled softly. “I didn’t realize you were so bad with horror. I’m sorry, Dan.”

“‘S okay.” Dan voice was muffled, his face hidden in Brian’s shoulder. Brian awkwardly patted his back as Arin got up to change the DVD, switching it to an animated movie. There was quiet conversation during the second movie, and it definitely helped Dan wind down. He muttered a soft apology as he let go of Brian, curling up on the other side of the couch again. He half held up his end of a conversation with Suzy, half watched the movie. He didn’t know what it was about, but it was cute and had nice songs, so he was content.

By the end of that movie, Ross and Holly were asleep, curled up together, Arin was almost asleep, and Dan was pretty sure Brian was asleep, his head down and his wings wrapped around his shoulders and covering most of the front of him. Dan groaned as he stretched, full of a few too many skittles as they started packing things up for the night. He stretched out a leg, gently nudging Brian’s leg. “Heyyyy. Wake up, man, the movie’s over.”

Brian’s wings shifted, moving away from his face and folding up to their usual position as Brian yawned, looking around sleepily. “Did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah.” Dan giggled, stretching slightly. “It’s okay though. I just thought you might prefer going to your bed instead of sleeping on the couch.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his eyes. “Thanks.” He got up with another yawn, his hair a little mussed. “I’m gonna head to bed. Night.”

“Good night!” Dan waved as he got up, saying his goodnights as Suzy roused Ross and Holly, Barry trailing behind him. Dan flopped into bed, clutching his blanket from home as he snuggled into the sheets, mumbling a sleepy goodnight to Barry. Of course, with all that had been happening, he forgot what was coming up.


	5. Chapter 5

“Happy Halloween!” Arin grinned brightly at Dan as he came down to breakfast. He’d put what looked like black cups over his ears, and was wearing all black. When he raised an arm, Dan could see that he had something connected to his wrist that spread a cape to look like he had bat wings.

“Oh shit, is that today?” Dan laughed as he sat down.

“Yup!” Suzy came up behind them, a pair of aviator goggles on her head and her ears and tails dyed yellow.

“Is that real dye?” Dan quirked an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair.

“Nah, it’ll wash out when I shower.” She laughed. “Do you not have a costume?”

“I mean, I can’t say I planned my packing around Halloween.”

“We have to come up with something for you!” Suzy grinned, looking up when Holly and Ross came over. “Holly! We have to make Dan a costume.”

Holly took off her plague mask, which was successfully creeping Dan out. “Oh! That sounds like fun!”

“Um, Holly?” Arin pointed to her mask. “Why the fuck do you have that?”

“I’m a 17th century doctor! I got this off ebay because I wanted to be authentic.” She grinned. “Plus it kinda looks like a bird’s beak.” She put it on for a moment for effect. “See?”

“Yeahhhhh.” Ross shook head, gently wrapping an arm around Holly. “She’s an odd bird,” he teased, making her laugh. He was wearing a short green dress, and actually looked pretty fantastic.

Barry grinned as he sat down at the table. “Morning guys! Happy Halloween!” He was dressed up as Chewbacca, making Dan laugh softly. 

“I was wondering what was taking you so long in the bathroom this morning, huh? You look great, man.”

“Aw, thank you!” Barry giggled softly.

Arin started laughing when he saw Brian. “Oh my god.” He had on black lipstick, had a fake scar drawn down his face, and his hair had temporary black dye in it.

“In my own defense, this was not my decision. Meouch wanted to be Mufasa because he’s soooo creative, and he pulled the family card on me because he wanted someone to be Scar. I don’t know man. He’s weird.” Brian sighed, trying not smile as he started eating his cereal. 

Dan frowned. “Who?”

“Meouch. He’s my older cousin. I guess you probably wouldn’t have seen him around.” Brian looked around. “Hold on a sec.” He got up and walked off.

Ross chuckled. “Meouch is a pretty cool guy. He hangs out with the cyborg kids. He sat with us for a while after Brian started coming here last year. A good guy.”

Dan hummed in response, starting to eat his breakfast. He was relaxed, content to just listen to the others’ conversations as he ate, sipping at his juice. He choked, startled when he was tapped on the shoulder. He coughed, rubbing at his throat. “Jesus fuckin-...”

“Sorry.” Brian smiled apologetically. “Are you okay, man?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He coughed again, hitting his chest. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Okay, good.” Brian laughed softly. “Sorry again. Anyway, this is my cousin, Meouch. Meouch, this is my friend Dan.”

“Just your friend?” Meouch smirked, nudging Brian.

“Dude, stop.” Brian half shoved him, his face flushing pink.

Meouch laughed, grinning at Dan. “Nice to meet you, man. Any friend of Brian’s is a friend of mine.”

Dan smiled. “It’s great to meet you too!”

Meouch nudged Brian again, grinning. “He’s sweet. You’ve got yourself a keeper!”

“Dude!” Brian seemed to blush darker as Meouch laughed, waving before walking off. “He’s the worst, oh my god.”

Ross laughed. “Aw, Brian, do you have a crush?”

“Shut the fuck up if you value your life, Ross.” Brian glared, the table falling into an almost uncomfortable silence.

Holly broke it after a moment. “So, Dan, we’ve got to get some kind of costume for you!” She smiled at him. “It’s a tradition for students to wear costumes on Halloween.”

“I didn’t really bring anything for a costume, though.”

“I am a cosplay queen. We’ll find something. When is your first class?”

Dan thought for a second. “2nd period. I’m free until then.”

“Perfect! Come on, let’s get to work.” Holly gave Ross a quick kiss before getting up, her Victorian style black dress wrinkling at the bottom as she stood. She grabbed her mask before grabbing Dan’s sleeve as he stood. “Come on!”

“Okay, okay!” Dan laughed, letting her drag him out of the crowded dining hall. He didn’t know how she was able to move so fast in the huge dress, but the fact that she didn’t wear shoes probably lended a hand in that. Or lended a hoof? Dan grinned at his mental pun.

Holly let him unlock the dorm before they went in, Dan giving her free range to look through his bag as he sat on the bed, wrapping himself in a blanket. Somewhere off in the distance, a bell rang, signalling the beginning of first period.

By the end of the period, Dan was convinced Holly was magic. She’d somehow managed to put together a Link costume for him, only using the clothing in his bag. “You’re amazing!”

Holly grinned, picking up her mask. “It’s what I do best!”

“Clearly!” He laughed, giving her a tight hug. “Thank you!”

She laughed, patting his back as he hugged her. “Of course. Now get to class. I don’t want you to be late!”

Dan nodded, grinning as he picked up his stuff, running off to class. It was all really cool, seeing everyone in costumes. He hadn’t really done anything for Halloween since he was younger, back when he and Dana would go out trick or treating. Even the teachers were dressed up, and most passed out candy. It was kind of awesome in Dan’s mind, since he wasn’t used to teachers doing things like that.

Maybe he’d just had some shit teachers in the past.

He had a test in English based on a book they’d been reading through. They were reading “Visions in the Clouds”, a book about a vampire who was fighting a dragon. He chewed on his pencil as he tried to remember motivation. It was either wrath or revenge. On one hand, the feud had been going on for generations, as referenced in chapter one, but on the other, the vampire and dragon had been friends. He sighed, picking revenge and moving on. It was a little tougher than he’d anticipated, and could only hope he did well as he handed it in to Mr. Sheid.

He sat back at his desk, catching Ross’s eye for a second and grinning. Ross stuck out his tongue, smirking a little as he fluttered his wings, glittery dust falling onto his dress. Dan held back a soft giggle, picking up his book as Ross made a silly face at him, making him grin. He read until the end of the period, waving to Mr. Sheid as Ross lead him out of the room. “Have you ever been up on the roof?”

Dan raised an eyebrow at the question. “I- no? Why would I ever be on the roof?”

“There’s a great view up there!” Ross grinned. “Do you want to?”

“I mean, sure. How would I get up there?”

“Faith, trust, pixie dust?” Ross grinned, but it fell when Dan just looked confused. “Come on, do you get the reference?”

“No..” Dan shook his head confused as Ross cocked his hip.

“It’s only from one of the most famous Disney faeries of all time! Do you think I’m wearing this dress for no reason?”

“I mean, it does seem like a thing you’d do.” Dan shrugged as he followed Ross.

“You’ve got a point, but still! Is Tinker Bell ringing any bells for you?” Ross crossed his arms as he led Dan into the courtyard.

“I think my sister liked her when she was like, 8.”

“It’s a start.” Ross laughed. “I’m gonna forcibly sit you down and watch the movies with you. They’re actually pretty fantastic, trust me. A little iffy on actual fae stuff at times, but hey, it’s still a good movie.” He pulled Dan into a tiny entrance behind some shrubs. “We’re going up to the roof.”

Dan warily eyed the rickety-looking ladder that led up four stories. “Is that really the best-”

“Yeah. I’ve been up there plenty of times. You go first. I’ll catch you if you slip.” He paused. “And I don’t want you looking up my skirt. That’s for Holly’s eyes only. And Barry’s if he ever wants it.”

“Don’t need to hear about your sex life, buddy.” Dan pulled himself up onto the ladder, taking a deep breath before starting to climb. He didn’t look down, knowing he’d lose his nerve if he did. So he stared at the brick and stone wall in front of him. It felt like forever until he reached the top, pushing himself up onto the roof. He flopped onto his back on the roof, staring up at the sky. “Huh. I didn’t die.”

“Nope!” Ross grinned, standing on the roof next to Dan and looking out over the grounds of the school. The light hit him nicely, and Dan found himself admiring him and the way he seemed to sparkle. The light went through Ross’s wings, casting blue light behind him. 

“Woah.” Dan finally looked out over the grounds, smiling a little. It was beautiful. The sun cast long shadows as the afternoon grew later, trees brightly colored with autumn in full swing, and the lake shimmered. “This is… wow.”

“I know.” Ross sat next to him, legs dangling over the side of the building as he pointed across to the other side of the courtyard. “See over there? By those bushes? That’s Holly’s favorite spot. Her crow, Charlie, has a nest in one of those bushes, and in spring, sometimes there’s fireflies.”

“She has a crow?”

“Kind of. Since she’s a satyr, she has minor magic. She has a close connection with nature, and can befriend wild animals much easier than humans or a lot of other mythics.” Ross smiled softly. “Charlie was sick when Holly first found him, and she managed to sneak him into the building. She nursed him back to health, and now he loves her.”

“That’s adorable.” Dan smiled softly.

“Yeah. She loves birds. She always talks about the pigeons at home, since she always cared for the ones that would nest near her family’s patch of the woods. She’s such a sweetheart and, y’know, I really love her.” Ross had a small, lovestruck smile on his face.

Dan gently nudged him. “I can tell. And she definitely really loves you too. It’s cute.” He grinned when a pale blush spread across Ross’s face. “You’re an artist, right?”

“Yeah.” Ross hummed, looking down at his lap as the blush started to fade away. “I’ve been working on animation for a while, drawing since… forever really.”

“Well you’re fantastic at it!” Dan grinned brightly.

Ross started talking about a cartoon he was planning, and Dan smiled, letting him talk. He loved when people were passionate about things, especially things they were creating. “I’m sorry.” Ross said softly after a while. “I’m probably boring you.”

“You’re not. I promise.” Dan smiled a little. “You’re allowed to talk about things you’re passionate about.” He reached over to lightly hit Ross’s arm. “And that sounds fucking fascinating. You’re gonna be a fantastic animator.”

“Thanks…” Ross was quiet for a moment. “No one’s ever said that to me before.” He smiled, looking almost shy. “You’re a great person, Dan.”

“I do my best. Come on, let’s head inside before it starts getting dark.”

Ross chuckled, moving to get his feet on the ladder, starting to climb down. Dan grinned, following. About halfway down, Dan’s foot slipped, making him scream. Ross grabbed his ankle, guiding it onto the next step. “Jesus, be careful…” Ross frowned and looked up at Dan, who was clinging to the ladder.

“Yup,” he squeaked out, much more careful and a lot slower as they kept going. Dan half collapsed, laying down on the grass as soon as they reached the ground. “I could’ve died.”

“I wouldn’t let you die. I’m a lot stronger than I look, and I would’ve caught you.” Ross leaned against the wall as Dan let out a long groan. 

“I’m never doing that again. What if we’d been seen?”

“What if? A good question, Mr. Avidan.” Dan screamed as a teacher caught their attention.

“Ms. Nelson!” Ross swallowed. “H-hey!”

She raised an eyebrow, taking off her sunglasses and watching Dan get to his feet. “Haven’t you gotten detention for this before, Ross?”

“I- maybe…”

“It’s dangerous.”

“So? We’re fine, aren’t we?” Ross smiled faintly, backing down a little as Ms. Nelson sighed. “You two have detention tomorrow after dinner in my room. Maybe that’ll remind you to be mindful of the rules.” With that, she transformed into a bat and flew off.

“Holy shit,” Dan breathed.

“...was completely not fair!” At dinner, an hour later, Ross was ranting about how they’d gotten detention.

“It was kinda dangerous. What if one of you had gotten hurt?” Suzy raised an eyebrow.

“We didn’t, and I think that’s the point he’s trying to make.” Dan shrugged. “It’s just a detention. How bad can it be?”

“It’s the principle Dan!” Ross crossed his arms. “We’re fine!”

Holly set a hand on his back, just between his wings. “I know you’re mad, but Dan is right. A detention with Ms. Nelson really isn’t a big deal. She’ll just have you wash paint out of the sinks. Then it’s over, no harm done.”

Ross relaxed a little at her touch. “Yeah, I guess so. And at least she isn’t making us miss the celebration tonight!”

Dan looked up from his mac n cheese. “What celebration?”

Arin grinned. “Every Halloween night there’s a celebration in the courtyard. The staff sets up during dinner and the only students allowed out there during setup are the sirens and merfolk since they live in the lake. It’s always super fun, and Mr. Fischbach always tells some spooky story. It’s cool because it’s the only time he’ll go into his true demon form!”

“Oh damn, that does sound really cool!” Dan grinned.

Suzy nodded. “It’s always so much fun.” She winked, grinning. “Arin and I make our own fun.”

“Suzy!” Arin blushed, laughing. “Don’t talk about that!”

“It’s tru~ue.” She giggled, nudging him with a wink. “Hey Ross, would you mind switching dorms with me tonight? You can spend the night with Holly, I’ll be with Arin… It’ll work out.”

Ross chuckled, sliding his hand over Holly’s. “That sounds good to me.”

Dan leaned over, whispering to Brian. “Are they always like this?”

“As far as I know, yes.” Brian took a sip of his tea. “Sickening, hm?”

Dan laughed. “Maybe a little bit.” He shrugged, finishing up his dinner with a quiet giggle.

Brian shook his head with a small smile. “Barry’ll most likely hang around with Holly and Ross, so if you want to hang out with me, that’d be fine.”

Dan smiled. “That sounds fantastic.” The night was fantastic, and ended with Brian and Dan heading up to their dorms together. They’d spent the whole celebration together, enjoying each other’s company and just talking, getting to know each other better. Also the massive amount of candy certainly helped.

When they got up to the dorms, Dan pressed a delicate, friendly kiss to Brian’s cheek. “Sleep well, man.” With a soft smile, he unlocked his dorm and slipped inside, leaving Brian in silent surprise.


	6. Chapter 6

It was late November now, chaos breaking in as holidays approached and tests grew harder, preparation for midterm exams slipping into the end of every class as teachers reminded everyone that it was time to start preparing. Dan found a comfortable kind of solace in his friends and the cozy quiet that Barry brought each night before bed. It was a rainy Saturday, a chill going through the air, even outside the dorm.

As he walked back to the table with his dinner on his tray, sunset long past and the only light coming from the florescent lights hanging from the ceiling, he saw Arin holding his phone. “Yo Dan, who’s Debbie?”

Dan grabbed his phone from Arin. “My mom. Why do you ask?”

“You have four missed calls.”

“Ah, fuck.” Dan bit his lip when he realized he’d forgotten to call. “Okay, it’s… 9:30ish. On the east coast. That’s not too late to call, is it?”

Suzy shrugged, her tails lightly wrapped around her own body to fight the chill. “It depends on how late your parents tend to stay up.”

Dan nodded, quickly calling the number he’d memorized years ago. Luckily the dining hall was quiet since most students ate a little earlier on weekends. “Hey Debbie… Sorry I didn’t call sooner. It’s been a busy day.”

He could hear Debbie let out a soft sigh. “It’s okay. I was just worried. How are classes going?”

“They’re going pretty good! Nothing new to report from last week. No new big assignments or anything like that. How’s Dana doing? She’s probably in bed by now.”

“She is, yeah. She’s been doing well. I think she misses you because she told me to tell you to text her soon.”

Dan smiled softly. “Either that or she got one of the assignments I got as a freshman.” He giggled, seeing Barry and Ross come to the table out of the corner of his eye. “But how are you and Avi? Anything new with you?”

“Nothing of importance, dear.” He could tell she was smiling from the tone of her voice. “I’m glad you’re doing well, though.”

“I really am. I’m glad I decided to do this.” Dan let out a soft hum. “Thanks for letting me.”

“Oh, Dan. You’re an adult, and you can make your own decisions. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks Debbie…” He smiled, letting out a soft sigh. “I should get going, but I promise to call on time next week!”

“I’m holding you to that!” She laughed. “I love you, Dan.”

“Love you too.” He hung up, setting his phone down. “What?” he asked, realizing the others had been watching him on the phone.

“Nothing.” Holly smiled, tucking her hair behind her horn. “It’s just sweet how close you are to your parents.”

Jack hummed a little, having started to join them for meals more often. “But isn’t it a little disrespectful to call your mum by her first name?”

Dan shrugged, starting to eat his dinner. “Not really. I’ve always used my parents’ first names. It’s not like I’m trying to be disrespectful or anything.” He laughed. “When I was really little, like, 4 or 5, I knew they were my mom and dad, but that was like, subconscious knowledge, and they were just Avi and Debbie to me. When other kids talked about their moms and dads, I didn’t understand why they didn’t.”

Suzy laughed. “Aw, tiny Danny.”

“Tiny Danny wasn’t the smartest kid.” He laughed.

Brian teasingly looked Dan up and down. “I highly doubt anything about Dan can be classified as tiny.”

Dan snorted, shoving his shoulder. “No, I was legit a short kid. I just had crazy growth spurts in my freshman and sophomore years that hurt like hell. Guess you missed out on that, hm?” He grinned, gently mocking Brian’s height. Well, lack thereof.

Brian ruffled his wings. “Wow, rude.” He flipped Dan off, trying to hide his smile.  
“Calling me rude, hm Wecht?”

“I have a PhD in Fuck You.”

“Do not. Where did you graduate?”

“Uh..” Brian paused to think. “The university of keeping it real. Real place, believe me.”

Barry laughed. “I can vouch for him. I went there too.”

Brian grinned, gesturing to Barry. “See? Totally real.”

Dan shook his head. “Okay, okay, I believe you.” He shook his head with a fond smile. He was starting to really enjoy spending time with Brian, especially as he started to come out of the shell he’d seemed to be in when they’d met. A few moments of content silence fell, the only sound soft chatter from students and teachers going through the dining hall. “So Brian, you mentioned you were born in New Jersey, right?”

“Uh, maybe? Did I?” Brian raised an eyebrow, looking up at him.

“Yeah, when we first met!” Dan smiled.

“Oh.” Brian’s wings pulled forward, wrapping around his shoulders slightly. “I was born there. Lived there til I was 11. Moved around the country until I was 16.” His voice was clipped, and he was visibly uncomfortable. He got up, his wings wrapping around his body more. “Excuse me, I have… a thing.”

“Brian, don’t-” Dan frowned as Brian walked off, silent as he wrapped his arms around himself. He looked to the others. “What did I say?”

“Oh, sweetie…” Holly gently set a hand on Dan’s arm. “Brian doesn’t talk about his past much. Something… happened to him. None of us are really sure what. But whatever it was, it hurt him.”

Arin nodded. “He’s always kept everything really hidden. He’s really good at deflecting, taking attention off himself. You didn’t say anything wrong. Just talk to him tomorrow, apologize.”

Jack nodded. “I think I know a little more ‘n the rest of you guys since I share a room with him, but I don’t even know that much. I’ll make sure he’s okay.”

Dan was quiet a long moment. “I know where he went. I’m gonna go talk to him.”

As he stood up, Barry reached out a hand to stop him. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, this is Brian we’re talking about, the most evasive person any of us know…” He lightly bit his lip, turning in his seat.

Dan nodded, smiling faintly. “I’m sure.” He walked off, heading down the halls. A half hour later, he found the library.

...He still didn’t know how to navigate the school all that well.

All that aside, he headed to the back of the library, flinching when a strike of thunder seemed to echo through the near-empty library. It was absolutely pouring outside. He pulled a ladder over, slowly climbing up to the top of the shelf. Brian’s legs were pulled to his chest as he curled up, preening his feathers. “Brian?” Dan sat on top of the shelf, crossing his legs.

Brian jumped, startled as he hit his head on the edge of the windowsill. “Fuck,” he hissed, and as he turned his head, Dan could see tears streaked down his cheeks. “Oh, Dan. What are you doing here?” He ducked his head to hide his face.

“I wanted to apologize. I didn’t realize I was gonna make you more uncomfortable. I’m really, really sorry that I upset you, and I hope you can forgive me because I consider you a close friend and I’d really hate to lose you as a part of my life, and-”

Brian held up his hand, stopping Dan from going on. “Dan. Stop.” He rubbed his eyes, slowly looking up at him, eyes red as he smoothed down more feathers on his wings. “Look, I’m not… I’m not mad. You didn’t know. That’s not your fault. There’s just a lot that hurts to think about and talk about.” He let out a quiet sigh. “I shouldn’t have run off. I just…” He shook his head, hiding his face in his hands, nearly scratching his cheek with his talons.

“It’s alright.” Dan looked out the window as a flash of lightning lit up the near pitch black outside. “If you want to talk, I’m here. And if you don’t want to talk. Or if you don’t want me to be here, I’ll leave.” He smiled when that almost drew a laugh from Brian.

“Don’t leave.” Brian laughed weakly. “I think you broke me. Because I don’t want to be alone when I’m upset now.”

Dan gently hit his arm, smiling. “Well, I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing!”

Brian chuckled, pushing Dan’s hand away. “I suppose not.” There were a few minutes of silence as Brian watched the rain. “I’ve never really talked about this stuff with anyone. If I… If I talk to you about it, are you going to tell other people? I’m not ready for that.”

“I won’t say a word about anything you don’t want me to.” Dan set a hand on top of Brian’s, hoping to give him some form of comfort.

Brian nodded, looking down at their hands as he took a long breath. “I was 11. My parents were protesters. They were advocates for the rights of mythics, which was a close subject for them for… obvious reasons. Dad was an eagle hybrid and mom was a lion hybrid. They left me and my sister at home with a babysitter and went to an organized protest. It was supposed to be peaceful, it was supposed to be like any other. But they didn’t come home. Someone started something, and before anyone could do anything, a gun was pulled. A lot of people died and got hurt. Dad was in a coma, mom was dead before anyone got to her. Dad never woke up.” Brian wiped at his eyes. “There wasn’t any paperwork to settle arrangements for me and my little sister. She was only 8. Through some mishap, we ended up bouncing around between foster homes for years. We ended up split up for almost 2 years at one point.” He fell quiet, tears building up in his eyes again.

Dan squeezed his hand carefully, the rain pouring down even harder outside. “Did… did you ever find a home?”

“Yeah. 2 years ago we were taken in by our adoptive parents, Courtney and Livia. They’re fantastic, and they love us, but… they’re not mom and dad. Hell, I can’t bring myself to call them my moms, and I feel like shit for it, but they understand.” He sighed softly, rubbing his face as more tears fell from his eyes. “It fucking sucks because I didn’t even get to go to the funeral. Maybe then I would’ve gotten more closure. And it’s harder now because the protest was in November. And it’s just… fuck.” He wiped his eyes, sniffling softly.

Dan shifted closer to him, opening his arms to offer a hug. Brian silently fell into the embrace, clutching Dan close and silently crying into his shoulder. Dan could feel him shaking, gently rubbing his back under his shoulderblades. After a few minutes, he realized that the sound of the rain and thunder had cut off, the sound muffled by Brian’s wings as they encompassed the two in warmth. Brian hadn’t lifted his head, so he must have done it subconsciously.

They sat there for a long time, Brian’s crying slowly dying down, each breath more even than the last as he stayed slumped against Dan in silent sorrow. Dan was humming under his breath, an attempt to soothe him as he kept rubbing his hand in gentle, consistent circles on Brian’s back. After about an hour, maybe (Dan wasn’t quite sure), Brian’s wings folded up to their usual position on his back as he sat up fully, wiping away his tears. “Sorry. About all that.”

Dan smiled, giving Brian’s arm a light squeeze. “No, don’t apologize. It’s good that you got all that off your chest.”

“I more meant the fact that I probably ripped your shirt with my talons since I haven’t clipped them in 2 weeks, but yeah.” He laughed a little, wiping his eyes. “But… thanks. For letting me pour all this out on you.”

Dan laughed a little, nodding as he pushed Brian’s hair back. “I’ve got plenty of shirts, it’s fine. And besides, I’m glad you’re not holding all that in your head anymore.”

Brian leaned into the touch with a content sigh, clearly drained as he closed his eyes. “Yeah.” He covered his mouth, yawning softly.

“Come on, man. You look exhausted.” Dan smiled softly, taking one of Brian’s hand. He was always a little surprised when he felt Brian’s hand. He always assumed they’d be cold, considering they were covered in scales, but they were warm to the touch. Brian nodded, sighing as he climbed down after Dan. They quietly walked up to their dorms, hand in hand.

When they got upstairs, Brian gave Dan a tight hug, silent as they embraced for a long moment. “Get some rest,” Dan murmured against the top of his head.

“Yeah. See you in the morning.” Brian smiled tiredly, heading into his dorm, leaving Dan in the dimly lit hallway. He sighed, digging his key from his pocket as he headed into his.

All in all, he felt closer to Brian.


	7. Chapter 7

Brian groaned, flopping onto the couch. Holly laughed, sitting on the common room couch with Dan, studying with him. “Doing okay buddy?”

Brian just groaned again, his wings ruffled and messy. “I just finished my last midterm. I bet I failed.”

“I’m sure you didn’t.” Dan smiled, even though Brian’s face was hidden by his wings. “You’re the smartest guy I know!”

Brian just let out another upset sound, trying to hide himself more. Holly sighed. “Alright, Dan, mind leaving us alone for awhile?” Dan nodded, collecting his notes and getting up to leave. He patted Brian’s back on his way out, letting out a sigh. “Brian, look at me.” Brian looked up, visibly exhausted as Holly stood moving behind the couch. “You just took science right?”

“Mhm.” He let out a breathy sigh as Holly started to smooth his feathers down, sending tiny shivers through your body. 

“That's your best subject and we all know it. You don't need to worry at all. You've only got one more midterm to go, and then you're done. Then it's time for the solstice and Hanukkah and Christmas and all the holidays that come with winter. Two weeks off of classes. You've just got to finish strong.” She smiled as he nodded, his eyes half shut as she started to take care of the wings closer to the back, careful since that was the most sensitive spot on his body.

With the right touch, it would lull him into an almost meditative state, leaving him much calmer than he felt right now. In fact, this was calming for them both. There was just something so nice about caring for another being, whether human, mythic, or animal. She smiled softly, gently taking care of the top layer of feathers. “There we go,” she murmured as his head lulled to the side, proving he was almost asleep. She helped him lay across the couch, his wings wrapped around himself as he fell asleep with a tiny sigh.

Downstairs, Dan was on his way to the library to find a book on early mythic bloodlines when Suzy barreled towards him, grabbing his arm. “Dan! I need your help!”

“Woah, what’s wrong?” He frowned, looking at her.

“Just come with me!” She pulled him, running outside. It was cold, the lake frozen over. He shivered as she pulled him to a line of shrubs, letting go of him to shift into her full fox form. She was tiny, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Dan recognized her as a fennec fox. Suzy dashed under the bushes, and he heard her letting out soft purrs. Huh. He didn’t know she could do that.

When she came out, she was nudging something out in front of her. Upon closer inspection, it was a tiny kitten. “Oh my god.” He carefully scooped up the shivering creature. “It’s not dead.”

Suzy quickly shifted back to her half fox form, getting to her feet. “I found him a few hours ago and the mom never came back. I don’t know what to do. He’s about 3 weeks old.”

“He’s freezing. If he has any chance of surviving, we need to get him inside.” They hurried inside, Dan cradling the kitten in his hands. They rushed him up to the dorms, Suzy unlocking her and Holly’s and ushering Dan inside. She turned up the heat in the room, making a small nest from two blankets on top of a pillow, lowering the kitten onto it. He let out a broken-sounding mewl, and Dan took a deep breath, pulling out his phone to look up what to do. “Okay, can we get yogurt, eggs, and condensed milk from the cafeteria?”

Suzy nodded. “I know one of the cafeteria ladies. She’ll help us out. Stay here, and I’ll go get that stuff.” She ran off, leaving Dan with the kitten. 

“We’ll do everything we can for you baby,” Dan murmured. He listened to the kitten’s mewls as he waited for Suzy to come back, nervously bouncing his leg.

It wasn’t long before Suzy came back with a glass container and an eyedropper. “Ms. T said that we should feed him a few drops of this at a time every 3 hours. She’s gonna get us something better tomorrow, but for tonight we’ll have to keep up with him. You took your last midterm, right?”

Dan nodded, taking the container of warm liquid, filling the eyedropper to feed the kitten. “Yeah. If I’m taking care of him, I’ll have to stay in here tonight.”

“I know. Ms. T said if he makes it through the night, there’s a chance he’ll survive. But we shouldn’t get too attached yet. In case… yeah.”

Dan sighed. “Too late…” He carefully fed the kitten, who eagerly drank the formula. His shivering wasn’t as intense, and Dan took that as a good sign. “He must’ve been the runt of his litter, huh?”

“I guess so.” She sat next to Dan, leaning against him.

“Hey, chin up, Scuzy. He’ll be okay.” He kissed her forehead, feeding the kitten until he had his fill. “All we can do is watch him, and we’re gonna do our absolute best to save him, got it?”

“Got it.” She smiled faintly, letting Dan’s hope lift her spirits as the little boy fell asleep in his little nest.

Across the school, Ross was sitting on the edge of the aquatic mythics’ pool, his legs dangling in the water as he sketched. Vernon was propped up on the edge, petting Michael as he chatted with Ross. “So have you heard about the last riot?” Ross glanced over at the mermaid who he’d gotten permission to sketch while she played a game of chess on a floating board with her friend.

“The one just a few miles from here? Of course. Everyone’s talking about it.” Vernon sighed. “It’s getting a few of the other students all amped up.”

“Do you ever have anything like that down near your lake?”

Vernon shook his head. “Not really. Everyone there is friendly, and the humans don’t usually go on our side of the lake. Piranhas.” He shrugged, petting Michael, who purred loudly, making Ross chuckle.

“Why can’t we all be like her? She doesn’t care about anything as long as she’s got you to pet her.” Ross shook his head, focusing on the drawing. 

Vernon laughed. “Yeah.” He smiled, watching Ross draw. “You know, I honestly don’t mean this to sound rude, but you’re so much different than any other fae I’ve met.”

“And you’re different than any other siren I’ve met, but here we are.” He laughed, fixing the shape of the mermaid’s tail. “Aren’t you supposed to be seducing men?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be admiring your reflection in a lake and petting a unicorn?”

“Woah, you don’t fuck with unicorns.” Ross shook his head. “That’s a death wish.”

“What?” Vernon frowned, lightly flicking his tail above the surface to splash at Michael.

“Yeah dude. They’re vicious. When I was little, the first thing my dad taught me was what to do if I ever encounter one. You drop to the ground if you’re flying, and you back away. If it moves, you freeze. If you’re lucky, it’ll lose interest, if not… You better hope you can get out of the way.” Ross shrugged,

“Holy shit.” Vernon shook his head, sighing. “Literature has lied to me.”

“Well, they are super magical. If you can get the horn of a living unicorn, or even just a few hairs, there are so many different ways to use it. Namely enchantments and potions. Darker stuff too, but my family doesn’t fuck with red magic.”

“Red magic?”

“It’s basically what pop culture refers to as black magic. We call it red magic though.” He shrugged. “I think it’s because fire fae used to be considered evil and they had red or orange wings and markings. I think.” Ross hummed. “Don’t take my word for it though.”

“Whose word should I take then?” He laughed as Michael hopped up on his shoulders, her tail smacking against his chest.

“No idea. Not mine, though.” Ross reached over, scratching Michael’s head. Vernon shook his head as he watched Ross show the drawing to the mermaid, who looked absolutely delighted as she grinned up at him. “Danika, right?”

She nodded. “Yup. You’re a fantastic artist, man!”

“Well, you were a wonderful model. If you want to keep it, I think I know a charm that’ll keep it safe in the water.”

“That’d be amazing!” She grinned, watching as Ross concentrated on the paper, his tongue poking out of his mouth as the paper seemed to sparkle for a moment before going back to normal.

“That should do it!”

“Thank you!” She grinned as she took the drawing and swam off back to her friends.

Ross hummed, ruffling Vernon’s hair. “Alright, I’m gonna be off. You have fun doing whatever.”

Vernon laughed. “That paper already had the charm on it, didn’t it?”

“...maybe.”

“You have a thing for pink haired girls, hm?”

“And extremely fuzzy boys.” He winked, getting up, his legs dripping with the pool water. “I’ll see you later, Vernon!”

Vernon laughed, waving. “See you Ross!”


	8. Chapter 8

“Mochi! Get back here!” Barry watched as Suzy chased the kitten through the common room. The kitten had survived, and Suzy had decided to name him Mochi. She scooped him up when she caught him, giggling. “There’s my pretty kitty.”

“I thought that was Arin,” Barry teased, grinning.

“Him too.” She grinned, sitting down next to him.

“So you’re not going home for the holidays?”

“Nah. It’s a long trip. I don’t want to deal with a flight and airports. My family understands. I’m pretty sure Arin’s family said the same thing.” She hummed, setting Mochi on Barry’s lap, making him laugh.

“Is anyone going home?” He pet Mochi, waving to Jack.

Jack smiled as he joined them. “I’m not. Ireland is quite the distance.”

Before another word was said, Ross ran in, blood dripping from a scratch on his cheek as he held an angry raccoon. “Where’s Holly?” He was smiling way too brightly for someone carrying an angry raccoon, something Suzy was quick to point out. “Hey, he’s just grumpy because I accidentally woke him up!”

Barry raised an eyebrow. “I think she’s in her dorm…”

“Cool! Thanks babe!” He hurried out, knocking on the door of Holly and Suzy’s dorm. Holly opened the door.

“Ross? Where did you find…?”

“In the dumpster!” He grinned brightly.

She laughed, carefully reaching out to pet the raccoon, who hissed, still clawing at Ross’s hands. “Oh sweetie… Go put him back outside. Then I’ll patch up your hands.” He pouted, but Holly just gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “Go.”

Ross huffed, carrying the raccoon back outside, letting him run off to his den by the dumpster. It was at that point that Ross realized that he now had deep scratches all over his hands, dripping sparkly blood. He sighed, heading back inside.

“I can’t believe him.” Barry shook his head, laughing as Mochi started trying to climb up his arm. “Why does he like raccoons?”

Jack shrugged. “In his defense, raccoons are kinda cute. I mean, I’m not gonna yank one out of the dumpster outside. In winter.”

“Well, I guess you have a point.” He shook his head, smiling.

“Has anyone seen Ross? I need to ask a favor.” Brian stepped into the room, holding a few candles.

“Last we saw him, he was in the middle of being mauled by a raccoon.” Suzy smiled at him.

Brian opened his mouth to say something, but closed it, sighing. “I… Should I be more surprised to hear that sentence?”

“Nope.” She laughed. “What do you need him for?”

“It’s.. nothing. I don’t need him anyway. I’ll figure it out.” He took a step back. “See you guys at dinner. I’ll be in my dorm.” Brian smiled faintly, leaving.

Jack sighed. “Well, I’m gonna go see what’s up with him.” He made a peace sign with his hand, following Brian to their dorm.

“Jack. I’m fine.” Brian didn’t even look up, laying on his stomach on his bed, pretending to read. Jack wasn’t convinced, considering the book was, yknow, upside down. He rolled his eyes, shifting into his dog form, jumping up on Brian’s bed, and nosing at his hand. Brian raised an eyebrow, but started petting him. “Just so you know, this is definitely the cheesiest way you’ve ever tried to cheer me up.” 

Jack looked about as smug as a dog can look, just wagging his tail as Brian pet him silently. They stayed like that for almost an hour, Jack curled up, almost asleep as Brian lost himself in thought. Jack lifted his head off his paws when Brian stopped petting him. “I’m gonna head to the library.”

Jack shifted back to human, blinking at Brian. “You okay, man?”

“Yeah. Just need to find a book.” He sighed softly. “I’ll see you later.” With that he left.

Dan had been sitting in Holly’s dorm, hanging out with her. Ross was laying across her bed, grinning with his hands wrapped in gauze and medical tape Holly had stashed away. She was telling him about the solstice and how her herd at home celebrated. It was mostly a big festival where all the families got together to celebrate the coming year and exchange food and gifts. It was different for every community.

Holly sat in front of Ross, letting him play with her hair as they talked about traditions, Ross tossing in occasional comments. “So the solstice is tomorrow, right?”

“Right! I think I'm going to see if the other fae who’s staying wants to join our little celebration. Her name is Ericka, and she's… an experience.”

“What does that mean?” Dan raised an eyebrow. 

“She's rambunctious and loud, and likes to act a lot bigger than she is, but I have no doubt that she could take most of the people she challenges to a fight.” Holly laughed. “She's a lot of fun though.”

“Is she short?”

“She's shorter than Brian.”

“Holy shit.”

Ross laughed, carefully tying the end of the braid from Holly's hair, brushing stray hairs away from her horns. “Be nice to Brian. He's not that short.”

Holly set a hand on Ross's knee, turning to face him. “Sweetheart, he's shorter than I am.”

He paused. “You know what, you've got a good point there.”

Dan hummed lightly. “So can I ask a question?”

“You just did.” They said it at the same time, then turned to look at each other, starting to laugh. 

Holly was still giggling as she looked to Dan. “Yeah, go ahead.”

Dan rolled his eyes at them, hiding a tiny smile at how cute they were. “Why are Brian's wings so fucking big?”

“Because he's not magical. Very few types of mythics are, so the winged non-magic mythics need to rely on other ways of getting off the ground. Since he's half bird hybrid, he's got hollow ones in his wings, and I think he mentioned his hands have hollow bones. But since he's also half lion, he's heavy. Gryphons are rare, so there isn't much evolution happening along that species. The wings are big because that's the only way he has any chance of flying.”

“Huh.” Dan nodded, humming lightly. “I never thought about that.”

She hummed, messing with Ross's hair. “It's interesting, huh? I'm fascinated by wings and the magic and science surrounding them.”

“That's why you have a crow,” Ross teased, poking Holly's stomach. 

“Hey. Be nice to Charlie. He's a good baby.”

Dan giggled softly. “You two are sickening.”

Ross quirked an eyebrow. “Please. It's not like we eyefuck the way you and Brian do.”

“You two actually fu-” He paused, processing what Ross had said. “Wait, what?”

Holly laughed, gently swatting Ross's shoulder. “You and Brian have this way of looking at each other. It's sweet, really.”

“We're not- I don't- He’s-”

Ross hid a smile. “Calm down man. Just taking the piss out of you.”

Dan huffed, cheeks flushed a surprising pink. “Rude.”

“Do you have a crush Danny?” Holly was grinning. “That's adorable.”

“I don't have a crush!” He covered his face, embarrassed. 

“Whatever you say…” Ross chuckled, giving him a look. 

Dan just groaned , flopping back and covering his face with his arm. “Hate you.”

“Hate you too Dan!” Ross laughed, ruffling his hair with a grin as Dan slapped his hands away. 

“Whatever.”

Holly laughed softly. “Ross, be nice.”

Dan was still brooding about the teasing a few days later at breakfast. He was still in his pajamas, on the phone with his mom as they talked about the past week. He let out a soft hum as Brian rubbed his back when he sat down. He finished up his conversation, saying bye to Debbie and hanging up. “Morning guys.”

Suzy smiled brightly at him. “Merry Christmas Eve!”

“Happy one of the days of Hanukkah.” Dan smiled at her. Her excitement for the holiday was contagious.

“That too!” She laughed, her tails wagging ever so slightly behind her. “Aren't you excited?”

“To have half the school empty? Of course. Are you not?”

She pouted. “Brian, stop rubbing your social avoidance off on him.”

Brian stuck his tongue out. “I have anxiety. Fuck you.”

“Rude.” Brian rolled his eyes, just going back to eating. “Aw, come on, aren't you excited?” Suzy smiled at him. 

“Can't say I am, no.”

“Why not?”

“I have my reasons to not be excited. You have your reasons to be excited. Let's just leave it at that.”

She sighed. “Alright, I suppose that's fair. Barry?”

Barry smiled. “I'm just excited for it to be colder. It's been great this last week.”

“It was 30 degrees yesterday.”

“Exactly.” Barry laughed as Ross lightly shoved his arm. 

“What a weirdo. Remind me why I like you so much?” He smirked. 

Barry kissed his cheek, grinning. “Because I'm adorable.”

“Get off me nerd!” Ross laughed, wings fluttering behind him. 

Barry kissed his head, wrapping his arms around Ross's shoulders to hold him tightly. “Never!”

“So gay,” Brian muttered.

Arin snorted. “You're one to talk.”

Brian shrugged. “I'm not gay. I dated Suzy.”

Suzy shook her head. “Sweetheart, you and I both know how well that worked out.”

He huffed softly. “Yeah, but… fuck.”

“Nothin’ wrong with being gay, man.” Jack grinned.

“Yeah, I know, but still.” He stuck his tongue out.

Dan giggled, shaking his head. “Alright, alright, you're not gay.”

“And what about you Dan? What's your preference?” Arin grinned. 

“Um… I've never really dated or thought about it? I just figured I'd deal with that after college.” He shrugged, dragging his spoon through his cereal, not taking a bite. “You know?”

Holly nodded. “I get it, yeah. But if you find yourself wondering…” She shot a quick glance at Brian. “Just let yourself enjoy now, okay?”

“...okay?” He shook his head, finishing his breakfast. “I'm gonna go take a shower and put on… actual clothes.” He looked down at his plaid pajamas.

“Sounds good!” Holly smiled, watching as he got up, heading out. 

Brian kicked her leg under the table. “What the hell was that?”

“Nothing.” She smiled innocently.

He huffed, shooting a glare at her. “What the fuck ever.”

A few hours later, they were all gathered in the common room, a fire warming them all. Vernon was laying in a small pool that had been dragged up and filled. They were talking and laughing, exchanging a few gifts. Ross had drawn portraits for all of them, Brian had knit scarves, Holly had made tiny sculptures of birds for everyone, and Jack had photos he'd taken of them when they hadn't expected it. Everyone was laughing at one of Ross when he'd run into a tree when flying. 

Ross huffed as he looked at it. “How did you even…?”

“I'm a great photographer.” He smirked, handing Suzy one of her mid transformation. “That's my personal favorite.”

Suzy laughed loudly, covering her face. “No! I hate you so much! You're the worst!”

“Aw, you don't mean that.” He tapped her on the nose, laughing as she shoved him. 

Vernon flicked water at her with his tail, giggling. “Be nice to him! He's got a cute butt.”

“I know there was a reason you liked me.” He winked, handing him a picture. 

“Suzy, I changed my mind. Please kill him.” He pretended to glare, holding a picture of himself asleep, Michael curled up on his head. 

“At least yours is cute.” Ross grinned. 

“Aw, you think I'm cute?” Vernon giggled.

“You're adorable.” He grinned. 

Brian lightly cleared his throat. “Hey, um, I know this is...weird, but can I do a thing?”

“You doing things is weird.” Barry smiled. “What is the thing?”

Brian set a slight faded photo in a dusty frame on the table with two candles and a match. “I wanted… I wanted to do a tiny remembrance moment of silence thing? If that's okay?”

Dan smiled softly. “Go ahead man.”

Brian smiled faintly, lighting the candles and setting up the picture. The picture was of his parents, both of them smiling, his dad’s wing wrapped around his mom’s shoulder. He bowed his head, silent as the room fell quiet around him. 

Dan moved to the floor, taking Brian's hand and giving it a soft squeeze. Brian leaned against him silently for a few more moments. “Thanks guys,” he said softly, sitting back up and letting go of Dan's hand, blowing out the candles. 

He got up, smiling faintly as he picked up the photo. “I'll go… take care of this.”

“He looks so much like his mom,” Holly said softly as he left. “I've never seen a picture of them.”

Arin nodded. “Yeah. The poor guy…”

Dan hummed. “I think he's been doing better though. After we talked a few weeks ago, he's just been doing so much better.”

“Yeah.” Holly smiled softly. “Whatever you said to him really helped him out.”

Dan just shrugged as Brian came back in, glancing over at Jack and Vernon, who were kissing softly in the pool. “Uh… Jack? Your pants are kinda drenched.”

Jack shrugged, his legs draped over Vernon's tail. “So?”

Vernon laughed, playing with Jack's hair. “I've stolen him. My siren song.”

Jack hummed, rubbing a hand over Vernon's cheek, his ears flicking. “I'm a stupid sailor who followed your voice, huh?”

“A handsome one.” Vernon grinned, kissing Jack again, arms tight around his waist. 

“Gross.” Ross laughed. “I don't need to see all this foreplay.” They ignored him, making out.

Dan raised an eyebrow. “Do… do we just leave them?”

Arin nodded, getting up. “Uh… I guess. Let's… just head outside for now.” 

Barry grinned as they got outside. “Hey, it’s snowing!”

“Gross.” Ross made a face as snow stuck to his wings. 

Holly laughed, carefully brushing it off. “Dork.”

“Snow is gross,” he whined.

Barry laughed, wrapping his arms around Ross. “No, it's great! It's fun!” He was grinning brightly, eyes practically glittering.

After about two hours, it was glaringly obvious that Ross wasn't convinced, grumpy and shivering and complaining. Barry sighed, kissing his cold cheek. “Alright, come on babe. Let's get you some hot chocolate.” He scooped Ross up, making him shriek. 

Ross laughed, wrapping his arms tight around Barry's neck. “Barry! No!”

Holly laughed. “Aw, how cute. My boys.” She kissed Barry's cheek, ruffling Ross's hair. 

Barry giggled. “Come on. Let's get this cutie inside.” He carried Ross in, smiling brightly with Holly following. 

Arin and Suzy were working on making a snow sculpture of Mochi, giggling about something. Brian let out a startled sound, a snowball hitting him in the back of the wings. Dan was smirking, holding another in his hand. Brian raised an eyebrow, ruffling his feathers. “Oh, is that a challenge?”

“Maybe.” Dan laughed, but it was cut short by a scream when Brian threw a snowball at his head. “Hey!”

“You started it!” Brian laughed, scooping up more snow, shaping it into a crude ball. He flapped his wings, getting a few feet off the ground.

“No fair!”

“It's so fair. Just because-” he huffed as he flapped his wings again. “You don't have wings… god fucking damn I'm out of shape.” He panted softly, flapping harder. 

Dan laughed. “Brian,man, don't strain yourself.”

“Nope, I've… fuck, got this.”

About a minute later he hit the ground, landing on top of Dan. They both fell silent, just staring at each other in the snow.


	9. Chapter 9

Winter began to fade away, days getting longer and warmer, snow melting away in the middle of March. Dan sat down across from Arin and Suzy, stretching his arms across the table. “So…”

Arin looked up at him, humming. “So?”

“What does it feel like to… you know, be into someone?”

Suzy grinned. “Are you maybe into someone?”

“It's… maybe. I don't know?” He huffed. “I don't understand emotions!”

Suzy laughed, patting his head. “Okay, it's alright.” She smiled softly. “Who exactly is this you're not sure about?”

“...Brian.”

“Called it!” Arin grinned. “How do you feel when you're around him?”

“Just… really happy. He makes me feel like my heart’s gonna beat out of my chest and I just… want to be with him all the time and even if we're just studying together or sitting in silence, I'm just really glad to be near him.”

“You, my friend,” Suzy began, grinning. “Have got it bad for him. It's kind of adorable, really.” 

“I don't know what to do about it. This is… entirely new territory for me.”

“And that's okay!” She hummed. “It's all a matter of learning. Relationships are all about navigation. It won't be smooth sailing in the beginning, and it's all about finding out what makes the two of you click.”

Arin nodded. “Relationships are hard and they need a lot of work put into them. But if you put in the dedication, it's worth it.”

Dan bit his lip, nodding as he listened to them. “So… how do I bring this up with Brian?”

“You've just got to-”

“Talk to him!” Holly grinned at Brian, working on making a flower chain. 

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, because the guy who explicitly said he's not looking for a relationship for a long time is going to so be down to go out with… me.” 

Ross rolled his eyes. “Aw, come on, man. Don't start with that. You're cute, you're smart. Why wouldn't Dan want to date you?”

“Well, I have a fantastic track record with relationships. Not to mention my anxiety, depression, and… literally everything else?”

Holly smiled softly. “And yet Dan still likes to be around you. If I'm correct, he hates to see you mad or upset. Dan's a sweetheart, and he seems to really like you. You'll regret it forever if you don't give it a shot.”

“Are you really-”

“Sure? Brian's… Brian. You know how he is. Hell, you two have dated him! You know better than most.”

Arin smiled. “Brian's a tough nut to crack, sure. But you've gotten through to him. You've learned so much about him. Tell me five things you know that most people don't.”

Dan bit his lip. “Oh. Okay, uh, his favorite food is chocolate pudding, even though he insists it's steak. He likes to sleep in a cold room because he finds it comforting to be wrapped in his wings and more than one blanket. He loves music and is super passionate about creating it. Brian likes comedy because laughter is the only way he knows how to fight off sadness and negativity. And… he loves his friends and family more than life itself. He'd do anything to protect the ones he loves. Oh! And he likes physics! He likes learning about the natural order of the world.”

Suzy and Arin stared at him for a moment, speechless. Arin broke the silence. “Okay, there is nothing you can say to convince me that you two shouldn't be dating already. Go get your man!”

“Arin I-”

“Just can't!” Brian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he held his head. “I'd rather spend my life wanting something I can't have than taking a risk and losing one or the few people I care about. At least this way… at least this way he's a part of my life. This way I can be close to him.”

“Brian.” Ross stood up, using their height difference to his advantage. “It's not right. You… you're allowed to be happy. You're allowed to pursue that happiness. It's time to get your head out of your ass because you're smart! You should realize that you're being a complete and total moron.”

“Ross!” Holly got up.

Brian sighed. “No… Ross has a point. I need to do something about this. I'm gonna-”

“Go talk to him!” Dan got up, smiling brightly. “If I play my cards right, I could have a boyfriend soon!” 

Suzy laughed. “Go get him, Dan!” She shook her head, watching him run off with a determined grin. 

Within minutes, Dan ran into Brian. “Hey!” He said, a little too loudly. 

“Uh, hey Dan.” He smiled, trying to figure out what to say. “I… I wanted to talk to you. About a thing.”

“I was just looking for you!” Dan hummed. “Do you want to go outside, or…?”

“No, uh, I just need to say this before I lose my thought process.” He watched Dan nod before he took a deep breath before letting everything spill out, hardly pausing to take a breath. 

“I think I like you. And it's conflicting and terrifying. I'm not good at relationships and I try and it just hasn't worked ever and I'm scared to ruin what I have with you. And if you don't like me this is going to be really really awkward because fuck I'm not… I mean, I'm me. And you're you. And you're so much better at… everything and I totally understand if you don't like me the same way but please don't leave me and we can just forget this.”

Dan tried not to laugh, setting a hand on Brian's shoulder. “Take a deep breath. Just breathe in… and out… there we go. Okay. Now, I really like you too, and would you be mad if I kissed you?”

Brian shook his head, speechless as Dan leaned in, kissing him long and sweet. After pulling away, he smiled softly. “Guess this is the start of something new.”

“Did you just… quote high school musical?”


	10. Chapter 10

“Ross, what is this about? I have class in 10 minutes.” Dan let himself be dragged by the over enthused fae, more than a little confused. 

“Just come with me! I swear it'll make sense in just a minute!” Ross was hovering, his wings buzzing and his feet just a few inches off the ground as he pulled Dan. True to his word, a minute later he pulled Dan into a small hidden area within the school’s shrubs. The same area that hid the ladder he'd been dragged up around Halloween. 

On the ground, a red blanket was spread out with a basket on one corner. There were candlesticks and flowers blooming from the ground. “Wow… what is this for?”

“Your date with Brian tonight! Well, the date Holly and I planned for the two of you. She's off gathering fireflies.”

“Fireflies? Here? I thought they lived out east.”

“Shh. Don't question it. Wear something nice and show up around 6:30. The sun should be starting to set by then. Arin and Suzy agreed to get Brian here. You just focus on having a good time with him, okay?”

Dan wrapped Ross in a tight hug, grinning. “Thank you! You're a good guy Ross. No matter how much you try to convince people otherwise, you're a great guy and an even better friend.”

“Aw, Dan… that's gross and sappy. Go get to class or you'll be late.”

Dan laughed, running off with a huge smile. As soon as his classes were over, he ran off to get ready. He fought with his hair and a brush, trying to look more presentable. He… didn't quite succeed, but it was a little flatter than before, still curly as hell. 

He changed into a pair of not ripped jeans and a button up shirt in a light shade of blue. He spent an hour pacing, not sure if he looked nice enough. Barry watched him, trying to offer advice, something Dan was grateful for. At least it was something to take his mind off the mild anxiety coiled up in his chest. 

He glanced at the clock every few seconds, anxiously waiting for it to be time. Time seemed reluctant to move forward, leaving him to sigh and loudly complain to Barry, who just pretended to listen with a half amused smile. Finally, Dan felt like he could go down without being there too early. 

He nearly ran into Brian on his way out of the dorm. “Oh! Hey!”

Brian smiled, clearly a little nervous. “Hey Dan.” He lightly cleared his throat. “So I guess this is our first official date, huh?”

“I guess so. It'll be fun!” He grinned, offering a hand for Brian to take. Brian smiled, gingerly taking Dan's hand as they began to make their way downstairs to go out to the courtyard. “You look fantastic, by the way.”

Brian looked down at his blue button down and black pants. “Oh, uh, so do you!” He smiled faintly, feeling Dan's thumb rubbing circles on the back of his hand, soothing him slightly. 

The sun was just starting to set, casting an orange-y glow over everything. It was absolutely stunning as they headed over to the little nook they'd been shown earlier. It was nicely decorated with the blanket and lit candles and a brightly colored bed of flowers. “This is nice!” Dan smiled brightly, taking a seat and patting the other half of the blanket to encourage Brian to sit down across from him. 

He started to rummage through the basket as Brian sat down, taking out a bottle of sparkling apple juice, sandwiches and “Oh fuck yeah, pudding cups.” Dan smiled, setting those on the blanket and pouring the juice into the cups he'd found. 

“Think we should ask where they got the sparkling juice?” Brian smiled, accepting the cup Dan passed to him. 

“It's never a good idea to ask how they pull anything off. This is Ross and Holly we're talking about.”

“Fair point.” He laughed as he and Dan gently tapped their cups together before taking sips. He felt so much more relaxed than he had earlier. And a lot less sweaty now that he was in the cool, evening air. 

They ate their sandwiches in content silence, occasionally making comments about teachers or homework assignments. It was so peaceful, crickets starting to make themselves known, chirping out in the grass.

As the sun started to dip below the horizon, little lights started to flicker around them, and Dan gasped when he realized the lights were fireflies. Brian blinked in a mix of awe and confusion when one landed on his nose, flickering a few times. Dan giggled. “Do you know what fireflies are? You did grow up in Jersey.”

“I mean, I know what they are… I just haven't seen any in so long.” He just quietly watched, setting his pudding down. Dan giggled, carefully reaching out and catching one of the bugs. “Look at that! I'm a pro!”

Brian laughed a little, but still looked absolutely fascinated. It was kind of adorable and it made Dan smile as he opened his hands, showing Brian the firefly on his open palm before it flew away with the others in a swirl of flashing light. 

Dan laughed softly, watching Brian try to grab a firefly. “Okay, no, what you wanna do is this.” He carefully cupped his hand, using it to scoop one from the air. “If you grab like that, you'll just crush it.”

After a few more failed attempts, Dan moved behind Brian to carefully help him, taking ahold of Brian's hand, helping him catch one. “There you go!”

Brian smiled brightly as he looked at the flashing bug, Dan thinking about how beautiful his smile was, heart beating just a little faster. 

Was this falling in love? Dan bit his lip. Or was it too early to fall in love? Regardless, he liked this sickening happiness that seemed to overwhelm everything. All that from Brian's smile. Arin had been right, he was in deep. But maybe… maybe that was okay.


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a month since their date, and Dan and Brian considered themselves to be official. At least, Dan was pretty sure that was the term. Regardless, he was happy. Things were just going so well, which was something of a nice surprise, considering how worried he'd been about starting a real relationship. He'd been worried their relationship would change, and while it had, it was stronger. He'd been worried they'd get attached at the hip, but while they did spend a little more time together, it didn't mean they spent no time apart. It was comfortable. 

Brian grinned as he approached Dan in the courtyard. “Dan, I wanna try something.”

Dan glanced over at Jack and Arin, who just shrugged. “Okay? What kind of thing?”

“Do you trust me?” Brian's grin didn't falter, and he looked genuinely excited.

“I trust you. What's going on?”

“I want to try something,” he repeated. “Just, uh, get on my back.”

“Okay?” He glanced back to Jack and Arin, but did as Brian told him, wrapping his legs around Brian's waist, his arms around Brian's neck. “Gonna tell me what this is all about?”

“I've been working on flying lately and I've built up stamina. I wanna see if I can with you on my back.”

“Oh cool!” Dan giggled, holding on tight. “Let's do this!”

There was a whoosh of air as Brian spread his wings, bending his knees as he stretched them a little, the longer feathers shifting in the breeze. He started to flap his wings, Dan clinging tighter as they rose off the ground. Brian held onto Dan's legs as they rose higher. 

Things quite literally went south when they started to move forward. They started dropping, Brian losing control when his wings caught a particularly strong gust of wind. Brian muttered curses, trying to flap his wings faster, his talons just barely digging into Dan's legs as they headed straight for the lake. 

Arin shook his head as he looked back to his book. “I knew it wasn't going to go well. I should've put money on it.”

Jack chuckled softly, wincing when Dan and Brian crashed into the lake. “I thought it would've gone better. Brian's really been improving.”

“Has he?”

“Yup. I've been helping him.” 

“How?” Arin raised an eyebrow, looking over at Jack. 

Jack chuckled, quickly shifting into a raven and back. “Puca, remember?”

“Fair point.”

Brian coughed as he broke the surface of the water, looking around for Dan, who came up right next to him, sputtering and gasping for air. After he caught his breath, he swam as fast as he could towards the shore. “And what did we learn?”

Brian scrambled to get out of the water. “Not to do that?” He looked down at his talons, which had dug into the mud, and sighed. That was going to take forever to clean. Not to mention his wings. “I've had better ideas I guess.”

He looked up, making eye contact with Dan for about three seconds before they both burst into loud laughter. The kind that only comes from doing something truly idiotic together. “You're supposed to be smart!” Dan practically yelled through giggles. 

“You agreed!”

“Fuck you, Brian!”

“Fuck me? Fuck you!”

They were still laughing, hardly able to catch their breaths. Dan reached over, taking Brian's hand as he laid back in the mud. Brian followed his lead. After all, what was a little mud when you were already drenched?

Dan kept teasing Brian about it for weeks. And it took a week for him to get his feathers back in shape. As he was walking out of class, Dan grabbed his hand. “What's going on?”

Dan grinned. “I'm taking you on a proper date! I have some money and Holly said there's a coffee shop not too far from here.”

Brian raised an eyebrow, letting Dan lead him. “You do realize we're not supposed to leave the grounds, right?”

“What's life without thrill? Holly and Suzy agreed to help out, and Ross is on standby to create a diversion.”

“Well, if there's one thing Ross is good at…” He shook his head. “You're taking the blame if we get caught.”

Dan pressed a quick kiss to Brian's cheek. “That's what I like to hear! Reluctant agreement!”

“That's what you like to hear?”

“In this situation, it's the best I'm gonna get.” Dan hummed, leading Brian to the front of the school.

Suzy grinned at them. “We're a go. Text me when you guys are ready to head back. Right now, you guys need to get moving. Have fun!”

“We owe you! Tell Holly she's amazing.” Dan grabbed Brian's hand, half dragging him out. Brian just rolled his eyes, letting Dan lead him out. They ran off the grounds, Dan laughing the whole time.

“You're a moron,” Brian said with a long sigh, despite the smile on his face. 

“Yeah, but I'm your moron now!” Dan beamed, and Brian's heart started to beat just a little faster. 

“Alright, whatever.” A smile quirked at his lips anyway, and they slowed down once they were away from the school. “We're breaking so many rules.”

“Isn't it great?”

“No.” They got towards more a populated area after walking a few minutes, and Dan grinned as a small coffee shop came into view. “Here we are!”

It was quiet, and only a few people were hanging around as they headed up to the counter, where a small girl with big glasses greeted them. “Hi! Can I help you?”

Brian smiled softly. “Hello. Uh, let's see…” He ordered an iced coffee with extra cream, and Dan ordered some kind of extra sugary chocolate drink. 

She smiled, ringing them up and turning. “Dad!” Brian watched with a small smile as the girl’s dad walked out from the back, flashing them a quick smile, as he glanced at the order and walked the little girl through making them. 

When he handed them the drinks, he smiled. “She's learning to take over the business one day.”

Brian laughed softly. “She's already doing fantastic.”

Dan smiled a little as they walked over to an empty table. “You never told me you're good with kids.”

“That was hardly being good with a child. I mean, I was always the oldest kid in those big “foster homes” that are poorly disguised orphanages. I mean, I practically raised half the kids in the first one, and I kinda did raise my sister whenever we were in the same home.”

Dan sighed, sipping his drink. “I can't believe they split you two up.”

“Neither could we. There was… a lot of crying. I think I punched someone when we were told we were being split up. I tried to fly out a window with her in my arms.”

“How'd that work out?”

He laughed. “Not well. My wings weren't quite developed, and we kinda hovered to the ground. We didn't get far before they caught us. We laugh about it now, but… god that was terrifying. I mean, I didn't hear from her for two years. She changed so much in that time. That's why I don't go more than two days without at least texting her. I mean, we've been officially adopted and all, but…”

“You worry about her.” Dan's voice was soft. “You were her brother and kind of her dad for years. I can't imagine going through that. You have no idea how strong you are, babe.” He took Brian's hand, lifting it to his lips.

Brian's cheeks flushed. “I just did what anyone would have in my situation. We only had each other, and she was so young… too young. I just wanted to block her from the world as much as I could.”

“Brian, you're a strong, brave, beautiful, wonderful, loyal man. You shouldn't be told anything else. And honestly? Anyone who has ever mistreated you has earned a swift kick to the face from me.”

Brian chuckled, stirring the ice in his coffee with his straw. “A scrawny thing like you? Oh darling.” He shook his head, sighing. “A sweet gesture, but a mild breeze could snap you in half.”

“Hey!” Dan's cheeks flushed as he got defensive. “I can fight! I could defend you!”

“I don't not believe that. I just… you're so scrawny! It's cute, but I just can't see you kicking anyone’s ass. You're also… you. You're such a pacifist.”

Dan giggled. “What's wrong with that?”

“Nothing. The world can always use more pacifists. It's just that you couldn't kick anyone's ass.”

“Fine. Whatever.” He pretended to be mad, but judging by the look of amusement on Brian's face, it really wasn't working out. 

The hours seemed to just fall away as they talked, and before they knew it, the sun was starting to sink down in the sky, and they'd both drank about 3 drinks. Dan glanced at his phone and his eyes widened. “We need to her going. Now.”

“Oh. Oh!” Brian looked outside at the rapidly darkening sky, and they both bid a quick farewell to Mat, the barista and his sleepy daughter before hurrying out. 

Hand in hand, they ran down the street, slipping back onto the school’s grounds. As Holly let them back in, she sighed, her hair ruffled around her horns as it always was when she got worried. “What took you so long?”

“We got distracted! Sorry!”

She shook her head, an almost amused smile on her lips. “Just hurry. You'll be able to catch the tail end of dinner if you run.”

Brian gave her a quick hug. “We owe you one!”

She just sighed as they hurried off. “Boys.”


	12. Chapter 12

“I can't believe it's May! Or the fact that you have final exams in May!” Dan was flipping through a textbook at the table their group used for meals.

“When do you have yours?” Barry looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. 

“June, obviously. It makes sense!”

Holly laughed. “You've got a point. But the rest of the year is dedicated to the end of the year dance. It's always been a big event, and if at least 85% of students pass all their exams, there's a king and queen thing for the dance. It's a little cheesy, but it's fun, and a good initiative for some of the students who… slack. I mean, it's a private school. You're either here on scholarships, or your parents are putting serious money into it.”

“Or you're Dan,” Brian joked.

“Or you're Dan, yeah.” She laughed, clicking her pen a few times as she worked on a math problem, Brian pointing out a mistake in her work. “Can you do my exam for me?”

“If you take my history exam, sure.” He laughed, scribbling out a date on his paper. 

Dan hummed. “A dance, huh?”

Arin nodded. “Yeah. It's always super chill and laid back, and a lot of fun. It's in the cafeteria and courtyard, and teachers always have the gym set aside for students with social anxiety and who have powers that make being in big groups overwhelming.”

Brian nodded. “I went there my first year here. It's nice that they do that. Holly managed to convince me to go to the main one the next year though.” He paused. “Speaking of which, Dan, would you like to be my date?”

“Well, I was gonna put effort into asking you…” Dan sighed, smiling a little. “But I guess. I'm totally gonna make out with you at some point though.”

Brian laughed, his smile brightening. “I’d expect nothing less.”

The group fell into content silence for the rest of the afternoon, occasionally making small conversation or jokes.

Final exams seemed to fly past, and Dan sighed, collapsing on his bed as he and Barry got back from their last one. “Almost a whole month of basically nothing in classes.”

Barry giggled. “Pretty much.” They were quiet, Dan messing on his phone and Barry dozing in the cool dorm. There was a knock at the door, and he sat up. “That for you?”

“I don't think so.” He shrugged as Barry got up, opening the door to Ross and Holly, both holding roses. 

Holly smiled. “Roses are a little cliche, we know, but we wanted to ask you to come to the dance with us!”

Ross smiled at him. “Yeah. We thought about doing something big, but that's not you, so we hope the roses are enough.”

Barry grinned brightly. “You two… of course! I'd love to be your date!” He pulled them into a hug, kissing both their cheeks. 

Holly laughed, holding him tightly. “We love you, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” He grinned, letting go of them. “I have a glass somewhere.”

He headed to the bathroom, and Dan waved to Ross and Holly. “Hey.”

Ross chuckled. “Hi Dan. Brian asked you out already, right?”

“Yup. Last week. I totally made out with him in an empty classroom after the study session, so it was solidified.” He grinned, jokingly winking. 

“Gross,” Holly teased. 

“You're gross.” He stuck his tongue out, trying not to smile. That would totally invalidate the gesture. “Did you guys hear how Vernon asked Jack to the dance?”

Ross shook his head. “Haven't seen the two of them the last few days.”

“Vernon did some kind of siren song. I don't totally understand it, but Jack said it was a super touching gesture.” Dan smiled. 

Holly sighed. “That's so sweet. Suzy trained Mochi to take a note to Arin to ask him to the dance. We just… I don't know, we just teamed up to ask Barry and I figured that we're going together because of that.”

Ross took the roses, tossing them onto the bed. “Don't make it sound cheap.” Before Holly could say anything, Ross carefully dipped her down. “Holly, my beautiful, lovely girlfriend, would you do me the absolute honor of going to the dance with me?”

“How could I say no to that?” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him sweetly. 

To Ross's credit, he didn't drop her. He did, however, bring her up with too much force, and nearly sent her into the wall. To quote Ross, “oops.”


	13. Chapter 13

“Holly, can you zip this for me?” Suzy smiled a little, her dress on, but unzipped. 

Holly hummed, setting her mascara down and moving to zip up the dress. “No problem, yeah! You look nice.”

Suzy smoothed down the black dress, looking at herself self consciously in the mirror. “You think so? It's not too much?”

“It's perfect. You look beautiful.” Holly smiled softly. “Arin won't be able to take his eyes off you.”

She laughed, turning so she could see her back in the mirror. Her tails stuck out of a well placed slit in the dress. “Thanks Holly…”

Holly smiled, going back over to her desk to finish her makeup. “We should get going soon.”

Suzy nodded, checking her phone. “Mhm. Who do you think is gonna win king and queen?”

“Well, Ross said he's voting for Brian and Dan. I'm not quite sure which one is queen though.”

“I can see Brian in a tiara.” Suzy shrugged. “When we were dating, he let me do his makeup, and he seemed pretty content with that.”

“Nice.” Holly smiled. “Ross doesn't even need makeup. His face is just… perfect. And that's not love blindness.”

“Yeah, no, you're right. Damn fae and their perfect proportions.”

Holly laughed, getting up. “How do I look?” She'd carefully weaved flowers into her hair around her horns, and was wearing a purple dress that went nicely with her pink hair. 

“Gorgeous. If I wasn't with Arin, I'd for sure go after you.”

Holly laughed, slipping her dorm key in her purse. “Well, Barry, Ross, and I are open if you're ever interested.” She winked, heading out the door and leaving Suzy stunned for a moment. 

“What? Holly, you can't just leave after saying that!”

She nearly crashed into Brian as she ran after Holly. She tripped, silently cursing everything, especially the heels. Brian was quick to catch her, an arm around her waist. “Woah, are you okay?”

He helped her back up, looking at her with a concerned expression. “Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Sorry about that.” She smoothed her dress out. 

“It's not a big deal. At least you didn't actually fall.”

“That's true. You look nice tonight.”

He was wearing a blue button up and black pants, and his wings had been very carefully preened, his talons carefully trimmed. And maybe eyeliner. She couldn't quite tell unless she got up close to his face. “Oh, thanks. Uh, you do too!” 

She smiled as they walked down together. She'd been worried that things would still be awkward, considering they'd broken up at this dance the year before, and she'd gotten with Arin about a week later. But things were nice between them, and she was glad they could be friends after all that had gone down.

Arin came over to them to greet them. “Hey! Wow… Suzy… you look… wow.”

She laughed, pulling him down into a gentle kiss. “Thank you sweetie.”

Arin grinned, looking over at Brian. “I saw Dan out by the lake.”

Brian nodded. “Alright, cool. I'll see you two around then. I'm gonna go find him.” Music was playing as he headed outside. The sun was going down, casting a gentle orange light on the courtyard. Lights were strung across the shrubs and between trees, but they weren't on yet. 

Dan's face lit up when he saw Brian coming over. “Hey…”

Brian smiled, standing on his toes to pull Dan into a sweet kiss. “Hey. You look fantastic.” He couldn't help but admire Dan in his polo and dress pants. 

Dan giggled. “So do you. Are you… wearing eyeliner?”

“A little. Not much. I just like how it looks.”

“Alright, cool. It actually looks really fantastic.” He kissed Brian's forehead to make him blush, giggling when it worked.

Brian laughed a little at one of the pop songs that started playing. “Oh god, Livia hates this song…”

“I’d assume you know it pretty well then?”

“Yup. Courtney plays it all the time to tick her off. She says that's the kind of relationship you need to look for.”

“What? Playing music to piss your spouse off?”

Brian chuckled. “Knowing each other well enough to get under their skin but loving each other enough to not actually fight over it.”

“That's… actually really cute.”

“Yup.” Brian smiled. “I think they'd like you.”

Dan gave him a quick kiss. “Do you want to go dance?”

“Sure.” Brian shrugged, smiling as Dan grabbed his hand, leading him to the dance floor. 

“Good luck!” Vernon called after them, teasing Brian. Brian just flipped him off, trying not to laugh. 

As it turned out, Dan was a fantastic dancer, and kept finding ways to drag Brian into it, making him laugh and smile, and Brian couldn't remember being this happy in years. 

“You know, at some point, they'll open up the mic for people to go up and sing.” Brian grinned. “I've heard you sing. It'll be nice to hear you do it.”

Dan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Maybe I will. What about you?”

“Me? I'm not a singer. I prefer to sit behind an instrument.”

Dan hummed. “Good to know.”

“What do you mean by that?” Brian laughed a little, looking at him with a smile. 

“Nothing, nothing. Don't worry about it.” He grinned. “I'm gonna go grab a soda. Want to come with me?”

“Sure.” He shrugged, trailing behind Dan. 

Over by the lake, Jack was sitting on the edge, his legs hanging in the water as he talked with Vernon. Vernon held Jack's hand, kissing his palm. “Would you like to dance with me?”

Jack smiled faintly. “I don't think I have a form for that…”

“No, I have an idea.” Vernon gently tugged Jack's hand, making him sigh, but he followed Vernon into the water. At least he'd had the foresight to get his clothes charmed to be water repellant. 

Vernon smiled, pulling him into a kiss, guiding him deeper into the water. Vernon was breathing in through his nose, exhaling carefully into Jack's mouth. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. They laced their hands together, one of Jack's resting on Vernon's shoulder and one of Vernon's on Jack's waist. Jack closed his eyes, feeling Vernon's tail against his legs, the cool scales an odd texture in the chilly water. 

They were careful not to break the kiss as Vernon guided them around under the water in a gentle dance. He guided Jack back up to the surface, where he took a deep breath, coughing a few times from the little bit of water that got down his throat. 

Vernon smiled. “So? How was your first time being dragged underwater by a siren?”

Jack laughed softly. “Magical. That's the only word I have for it.”

“What a sweetheart.” Vernon laughed, flicking his tail a few times with a grin. 

Ross was laughing as he danced with Barry, buzzing his wings to hover a few inches off the ground, matching Barry's height. He laughed harder when Barry spun him, pulling him closer. “Hi.”

Barry gave him a quick kiss, smiling softly. “Hey.” When he gently cupped Ross's face with his hand, Ross forgot to keep flapping his wings and nearly fell to the ground. 

“Oops.”

Barry laughed. “Oh Ross.” He shook his head, smiling softly. “You make me so happy…”

Ross grinned, laughing sweetly. “You're such a sap! I love you too.”

“You love how sappy I am though!” His smile was bright, and it made Ross's heart this with utter affection. 

“I love everything about you, Bear.” He hugged Barry tight, both of them breaking into soft giggles. After a moment, he looked around. “Where'd Holly go?”

Barry looked around. “Oh! She's over talking to Suzy and Arin.”

“Oh, is she finally gonna make a move? She's had a thing for Suzy since… forever.”

Holly took a deep breath, tapping Arin on the shoulder. “Hey, mind if I cut in?”

He chuckled softly, flashing Suzy a quick wink. “Not at all.”

He stepped away, leaving Suzy blushing as she looked over at Holly, almost unsure. Holly stepped closer, carefully taking one of Suzy's hands. “Hi.”

“H-hey.” Suzy bit her lip, carefully placing her hand on Holly's waist. 

“It's okay, you know. You don't have to look so scared. It's just me.” Holly's smile was gentle, comforting as she set her hand on Suzy's shoulder, looking up at her. “The worst I can do is step on your foot. I mean, it'll hurt, since, yknow, hooves, but that's the worst I can do.”

That got Suzy to laugh, and Holly felt something in her chest swell. It was just them. And now it was different, but different in that Holly knew she could lean in and kiss Suzy and any minute and it just might be okay.

She stood up as tall as she could, gently twirling Suzy. “God, have I ever told you how absolutely stunning you are?”

Suzy laughed. “Maybe a few times. I haven't told you nearly enough though.” She slowly leaned closer, the music and chatter around them drowned out by their heartbeats. Holly could feel Suzy's breath ghosting over her face, and then they were kissing. It was sweet, innocent, almost experimental. 

It took a second for Suzy's brain to catch up after Holly pulled away with red, flushed cheeks, and she slowly opened her eyes. “So that's what kissing you is like…”

Holly laughed, shrugging, because what are you supposed to do after that? “Guess so!” She covered her face, smiling. “Wow…”

Suzy laughed softly. “You okay? Did I break you?”

“Yeah.” She laughed, embarrassed and full of the same energy she had felt the first time she had kissed Barry and the first time she had kissed Ross. It made her feel… alive, and jittery, and so many things she didn't know the names for. 

Suzy grinned. “Does that mean I get another dance with you?”

“I'd love nothing more.” She accepted the hand extended to her, grinning. 

After a little longer, Mr. Fischbach got up on the stage, speaking into the microphone. “For the next hour and a half, students are allowed to come up on stage to sing a song of their choice. Please keep it school appropriate. To pick your song, the lovely Ms. Nelson is waiting over there.” He gestured over to her, and she waved, next to the DJ equipment. 

Brian gently shoved Dan, smiling. “Go! I wanna hear you sing.”

Dan laughed. “Okay, okay, I'm going! Happy?”

“Not until you're up on that stage!”

Dan raised his hands in surrender. No one else seemed to be all that keen to go up, but Dan figured it was stage fright or fear of being the first one or something. He requested his song before heading up on stage, waving to Brian as the music started up. 

He stood up straighter, listening for the musical cue he knew was coming before he started to sing softly, picking up volume as he got more confident. “...hurry boy it's waiting there for you… gonna take a lot to drag me away from you…” He was holding the microphone with both hands as he got really into it, putting everything he had into the song. 

Almost everyone had stopped what they were doing to listen to Dan sing. Brian was smiling more than he ever had, his chest swelling with pride for his boyfriend. Dan opened his eyes, catching his breath during a musical interlude, catching Brian's eye and grinning brightly before starting to sing again.

When he finished, he was breathless and grinning brightly. His cheeks flushed darker as people applauded, and he gave a short bow before hopping down where Brian met him with a kiss. “That was amazing Dan.”

Dan laughed, hugging Brian and hiding his face against his shoulder. “Thanks….”

Brian ruffled his messy hair, smiling softly. “I'm proud of you. You belong up on a stage.”

Dan just kissed his cheek, shyly hiding his face with a laugh. Mr. Fischbach got back on stage. “Thank you Dan for that impressive performance. I forgot to mention, voting for the king and queen of the dance is happening now. There are boxes over there, just write down your vote and put it in the respective box. And with that, I'll shut up.”

Suzy walked over to them with a smile. “Dan, holy shit. That was… holy shit!” 

He laughed softly, smiling. “Oh, thank you…”

“Watch the language Miss Berhow.” They all jolted at the sudden voice behind Suzy, looking over to see Mr. Fischbach. “But that was an impressive performance Dan.”

Dan smiled, blushing darker. “Oh! Thank you. I, uh, I've been singing most of my life.”

“It shows.” He smiled. “Keep practicing, and you'll be something big.” With that, he walked off, leaving Dan even more flustered. 

Brian laughed. “I still can't believe you have a crush on him.”

“It's not- I don't- it's not a crush!” Dan huffed. “It's not my fault he's a fucking sexy demon.”

Brian just shook his head with a smirk. “You're lucky I'm not jealous.”

Dan muttered a few curses until Suzy rolled her eyes and grabbed their wrists, pulling them over to dance. 

The night was spent laughing and joking and just having fun together. At one point Ross snuck off, dragging Arin with him, they didn't actually answer questions as to what they had done. Dan went up on stage a few more times, singing some great 80s hits, finishing up with Take On Me.

“I'm a rock star now. You ready to live a paparazzi filled life?” He laughed, slinging an arm around Brian. 

Brian kissed his hand. “Maybe once my glory days in physics are over, I'll do the music for you.”

Dan grinned. “I'd love nothing more than to live out my life with you at my side.”

“A committed man. I like it.” He pulled Dan into a long, delicate kiss. 

Ms. Nelson got up on stage to get everyone’s attention. “The votes have been collected and counted, and it's time to see who was voted as your king and queen!” She waited for the cheering to die down, opening the first envelope. “The king of the dance is Dan Avidan!” 

Ross grinned, a little too innocently. “Ross. What did you do?” 

“Nothing! Now get up there! We want to hear who the queen is!” 

Dan gave him a look before hurrying up on stage, smiling as a crown was set on his head, not quite fitting because of his hair. He laughed, thanking Ms. Nelson.

“And your queen is… Brian Wecht?” She raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. 

Brian spoke slowly, turning to Ross. “What did you do?”

Ross cackled, pushing Brian towards the stage. “Come on, go stand with your king!”

“Remind me never to trust you after this.” He didn't look mad, just exasperated as he headed up to the stage, a tiara being put on his head. 

Dan grinned, taking Brian's hand. “Look at us!”

Brian just shook his head, smiling. When Dan kissed him, any and all thoughts he'd had disappeared. “I love you,” Dan whispered to him.

“I love you too.” A side grin stretched across his face, and he was just filled to the brim with absolute happiness.


	14. Chapter 14

“I can't believe you're going home.” Barry's voice was soft as he watched Dan double check his bags. 

Dan nodded. “Yeah, I know. It's… kinda sad. I'm really sad to leave. I'm gonna miss sharing a room with you. You're a great guy, Barry.”

Barry smiled softly. “You're a great guy too. Don't stop singing.”

“I won't. And never lose your love of learning. Text me often, alright?” 

Barry got up, pulling Dan into a tight hug. “I promise.”

Dan hugged him close, sighing softly. “I'll see you sometime down the road, okay? Maybe sooner than we think, but sometime.”

“Alright. Bye Dan.”

“Bye Barry.” Dan smiled sadly, leaving the room. Ross was waiting for him, holding a few sheets of paper. “Oh, hey Ross.”

Ross handed him the papers. “These are drawings I did of you. You're a great model. You've got really nice features, and your hair is a lot of fun to draw.”

“Ross…” Dan teared up, pulling Ross into a tight hug. “You're an asshole sometimes, but you're a fun person to be around, and a fantastic friend. Even if you hate to admit it, I know you care about me. Just… don't lose touch, okay?” 

Ross sighed, hugging him back. “Alright, whatever man…” He pressed his face into Dan's shoulder, holding him as tight as he could. “I'll call you.”

“Thanks Ross.” He smiled softly, letting go of him. “I'm gonna miss you.”

“Yeah… you too Dan.”

He gently knocked on the door to Suzy and Holly's dorm, knowing just Suzy would be there. She opened the door with a sad smile. “This is it, huh?”

“End of an era. A short era.” He smiled, hugging her close. “You're a fantastic woman, Scuze. A wonderful friend, and just a damn near perfect being. It'll hurt leaving you.”

“Hey, don't you dare say that. You're not leaving me. We're just going our own ways until our paths intersect again. And they will.” She smiled, tears in her eyes. “I love you Dan. I'll text you everyday.”

“I love you too. And I promise to text you back every day. I'll see you sometime in the near future.”

“I know you will.” She pushed hair out of his face, putting a sparkly hair clip in his hair to keep it there. “Something to remember me by.”

Dan smiled softly, heading to say bye to Jack. “Hey man.”

Jack gave him a hug. “Hi Dan. It's gonna be weird. I've gotten so used to being around you.”

“Yeah. I've gotten used to having friends. It'll be rough at home.”

“Well, we're just a call away. Any time you need to talk, just give one of us a call, got it?”

“Alright. I got it.” He smiled, giving him another hug. “You're a great guy Jack. Keep being a great guy.” He headed to the stairs, his heart getting a little heavier with each step. He wasn't ready to say bye to Brian. 

He headed out to the courtyard, walking over to the lake where Arin was sitting, talking with Vernon. “Hey guys…”

Arin got up. “Dan…”

They hugged tight without a word. He'd gotten so close to Arin that it hurt saying bye to him. “Promise you'll text?”

“All the time,” Arin promised. “You'll get sick of hearing from me. Every time you get a text notification, you'll be all like ‘fuck I hope it's not Arin for the 29th time today.’”

Dan giggled, crying just a little. “I can't wait. The day I get sick of you is the day I die. Which shouldn't be for a good 60 years.”

Arin ruffled his hair, smiling. “It's been great meeting you. Now we're official friends.”

“Weirdo.” He giggled, going over to the edge of the lake. “You know, I’d hug you, but I don't want to be drenched on a plane.”

Vernon smiled, holding a hand up to Dan. “I'll miss you.”

Dan squeezed his hand as he shook it. “I'll stay in touch, don't worry. Keep being amazing, okay? I'm gonna miss you too. You're such a great guy.”

“So are you. Let me know when your first album drops.”

“You got it!” 

He headed inside, in tears as soon as he saw Brian slowly walking up to him. “I'm gonna miss you.” Brian's whispers made him burst into quiet sobs. Brian pulled him into a tight hug, crying softly against his shoulder. 

“I can't believe you made me fall in love with you,” Dan murmured, trying to keep it lighthearted. “Making it that much harder to leave…”

Brian laughed, though it sounded like a sob at the same time. “It's ridiculous isn't it? We'll be in constant contact…”

“Doesn't make it hurt less. I love you Brian. And not being with you as much as I have been is going to hurt. I know that much. But we'll be strong through this. We're gonna see each other in person soon.”

“Right.” Brian wiped his eyes as they let go of each other, kissing softly. 

“I love you,” Brian whispered, holding Dan's shirt tight in his hands. “I need you… to promise you'll stay in touch. And that you won't just up and leave and stop talking to me. I can't… I can't go through that.”

“I promise. And I need you to tell me you'll talk to me. You won't keep it bottled up until you can't take it anymore.”

“I promise.” He moved his hands to Dan's face, just holding it for a long moment before pulling him into another, tear filled kiss. “I love you so much, Dan.”

“I love you Brian. I… I need to get going. But I'll text you. I promise.” One more chaste kiss was exchanged before Dan was heading after Holly to leave for the airport. Brian's wings drooped as he watched Dan go.

Holly was quiet on the drive, offering Dan tissues. “I'm gonna miss you too, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. And I'll miss you. You're such a great friend. And it'll be weird without you encouraging me for everything.” He laughed a little, blowing his nose. 

“I'll miss it. But we'll still talk.” She was quiet as she pulled into the airport parking lot. “Dan… it's been a great year. I'll see you… sometime.”

He leaned over to hug her. “I'll see you sometime.” He got out, grabbing his bags and heading for security. 

And on the flight home he smiled, looking through the pictures he'd taken and reveling in the memories and lifelong friends he'd made.


	15. Epilogue

“Could you possibly have driven any slower?” Brian stretched his wings out as he got out of the car.

“Hey, it's not my fault California traffic sucks.” Dan stuck his tongue out, reaching out a hand to grab Brian's. “Man, things have changed. There's an actual parking lot now!”

Brian laughed, rolling his eyes. “Yup. Of course that's the thing you remember. The size of the parking lot.”

“It was tiny!”

“Mhm.” He squeezed Dan's hand, lightly tugging to get him to start walking towards the door. 

Fifteen years had passed since Dan had last walked out the doors of Medusa Academy. And things had changed in that time. He and Brian were happily married, and Brian had changed his career from physics to music, partnering up with Dan to make their musical duo, Ninja Sex Party. 

They of course kept ties with everyone else. Dan was a guest star on Arin's internet show from time to time, where Jack, Barry, Ross, and Vernon worked. Suzy was an artist and Holly was a veterinarian. Things were going well, and Dan and Brian were both happy. 

They got inside, Brian smiling as he looked around at the familiar halls. It was nice. Mr. Fischbach had been promoted to principal, and was handing out name tags. “Hey!” Dan grinned at him. 

Mr. Fischbach smiled. “If it isn't Dan and Brian. I heard you two got married a few years back. At one of your concerts if I'm not wrong?”

Brian laughed softly. “Not at the concert. Dan proposed during a concert, but the wedding ceremony was pretty private.”

“Still, that's cute. Congratulations on your marriage and all your success. I knew you'd hit it big one day.”

He handed them their stickers, and they were on their way. They had a short conversation with Ryan and Matt, who also ran an internet show, and sometimes worked with Arin. Dan and Brian didn't see them much, so they spent a few minutes catching up. 

Dan kept giggling about how he was taller than pretty much anyone else, something that made Brian roll his eyes and smile affectionately. He started laughing when Dan was practically tackled by a blur of pink and gray and white. 

Arin grinned, hugging Dan tight. “Haven't seen you two in-”

“A whole month, yeah.” Brian chuckled. “We just got home from tour last night.”

Dan giggled, hugging Arin. “Bri, I'm going home with Arin. He's soft and warm and I really want to cuddle him.”

Barry grinned as he walked over. “That means I get to take Brian home, right?”

Brian nodded. “Absolutely. You're also warm and soft. Therefore the logic checks out.”

“Is that how it works now?”

“Yeah. I'm right because I have a PhD.”

Dan groaned, letting go of Arin. “Man, I forgot again.”

“Dan, love, how could you forget. It's hanging in our bedroom.”

Ross chuckled. “Seriously? You never told us that part of your intimate life.”

Brian grinned. “Sorry Ross. You wouldn't understand. It's sad for you, but you don't have a PhD.”

“I do have two girlfriends and two boyfriends so I'd say I still win this argument.” He held up his hands to high five Barry and Arin. 

Dan laughed, rolling his eyes. “Whatever, nerds. Are Jack and Vernon gonna be here?”

“Last I heard.” Arin checked his phone. “Yeah. They're running late because they have to pick up the water wheelchair thing.”

“Isn't that just like… a tank on wheels?”

Arin made a vague hand gesture. “Sorta. A little more advanced, but yeah, basically.”

Holly and Suzy ran over, hand in hand, nearly knocking Brian over as they hugged him. “Hello to you too.” He laughed softly. 

“How was the tour?” Holly grinned. 

“Great.” Brian smiled brightly. “I got to blow Dan backstage right before we went on. It was exhilarating.”

Suzy laughed. “Good for you, man. Good to know sex doesn't die after marriage.”

Dan shrugged, trying to hide his laughter. “It might. I mean, we're an awful sample set for that kind of thing.”

Brian nodded, patting Dan on the shoulder. “Anyone lucky enough to be with him would be an awful example.”

“Aw Brian… that's so gay.”

“Shit, you're right. No homo, bro.”

“Good to know some things don't change.” Vernon grinned, sitting in a wheelchair style thing, in a tank full of water. 

“Again. It's been a month.”

Jack laughed softly. “Still. You two hardly had time to text. It's good to see you.”

“You guys too.” Dan smiled softly. “Man, this place looks so much nicer than when I was here.”

Holly nodded. “Something does seem a little different.”

Suzy shrugged, her arm around Holly. “It's not totally dusty. There's a change there.”

“Good point.” Jack nodded. “And there are new paintings hanging up.”

Ross smiled. “Should we head out to the courtyard? I heard there are some new types of flowers.”

As they started to head out, Dan took a moment to look at everyone. Fifteen years should've seemed like forever, but for just a second, Dan felt like no time had passed. Like he was still that exchange student who fell for his best friend while they were hanging out with the best people he'd ever met. 

And that same spiral of happiness he'd felt all those years ago filled him again.


End file.
